CHAPTER 6 Japanese Restaurant

"My place, we're always available for you, Elle. You can stay here as much as you want. I can talk to Tito Ronan," they're now in the living room, sorting things out.

Ronan trusts Oli, so he will probably agree quickly to his daughter Mcki staying with her.

"If it’s not too much trouble for you, I’d be delighted."

Oli nodded and hugged her. "Of course, anything for my best friend. You can stay in the guest room as always," she said as they separated from the hug.

"No. I want to stay in your room, Oli. I don't want to be alone."

"O-okay. Sure," Oli seemed hesitant, but she tried to hide it from Mcki.

"Want to go shopping? Have some fun while we still have plenty of time?"

Mcki smiled briefly, trying to loosen up. "Maybe that's a good idea," she nodded.

Oli and Mcki left after getting dressed. While walking through the mall, Oli wondered what might change Mcki's mood.

"The wedding is coming. Will you be there?" Mcki thought twice but answered with a forced smile, "Of course I will, but maybe just at the reception."

She has decided to embrace the reality that her father is getting married to someone she doesn't even know whether she would approve of.

Perhaps his father doesn't care about her approval, not even to introduce the lucky one to her.

Oli just nodded, anticipating. "Don't worry. I'm on your side, Mcki." There’s a deeper meaning behind it. "You don't have to carry everything alone."

Mcki has always been grateful to have Oli as her protector. Since childhood, Oli has been there to defend, support, and help her consistently.

"Thanks a lot for everything, Oli," she said sincerely, taking Oli's hand and caressing it. Meanwhile, Oli gazed at it, feeling something unusual deep inside her heart. But then, she shook it off as she always does.

"You're always welcome, Elle," Oli responded with a genuine smile. Quietly, she calmed her nerves, which often act impulsively during such moments with Mcki.

"Oh, right!" Oli said to defuse the tension. "There's a new movie. Let's watch it." She grabbed Mcki's hand and pulled her into the cinema.

Mcki smiled as she went along with her friend’s plan. She looked at Oli like a sibling. Both being only children, they seem to mirror each other, forming a bond the moment they meet.

After the movie, they decided to have brunch at a Japanese restaurant. Little did they know, the universe had been quite playful lately. Allyna Celeste Constantine Di Silvestre was also there.

The individual who engaged in a one-night encounter with Mcki and subsequently took her virginity.

Allyna spotted Mcki first. Her smile while talking with the restaurant owner evaporated from thin air the moment her eyes caught how Mcki was so close and natural with someone else, grudgingly not to her.

The thought of Mcki still being single was no longer on the table, and she didn't expect it.

"As I was saying, Celeste-" But she's out of reach now.

"Earth to Celeste!" The other person shouted, drawing her attention back.

"What?" Grumpy, she fired back.

"What are you looking at?" She asked irritably as her eyes searched in the direction where Celeste had been stuck earlier.

A playful smile then appeared."Oh! Some prey caught the eye of the predator again," And nudge a gaze at Celeste like a criminal.

Celeste rolled her eyes, not agreeing with the metaphor her friend used.

"Do I look like one?" They start bantering now.

"Look who's not admitting the facts," not agreeing, as she knows Celeste too well

Meanwhile, Oli and Mcki got the table they preferred, and had an usher to take their order.

"She's pretty. You really have keen eyes and great taste, Celeste." While saying those, the other person was busy, daggering some daggers at someone through her mind.

Celeste took a deep breath and fidgeted, crossing her arms to her chest. "Do me a favor then," she said to the person beside her, while her eyes remained in the same spot.

Miller, the restaurant's owner, raised her eyebrows. She immediately understood what Celeste wanted, even before her friend explicitly said the words.

Miller approached the table where the two had been under her friend's witchful eyes for a while.

"Are you guys a couple? We have an ongoing discount promo for couples." This statement is made with a smile.

The two stared at each other. And something played in Mcki's mind.

"Oh, you must be mistaken-" Oli was trying to clear the air, but then Mcki cut her off. "Yeah. She's my girlfriend!" A playful beam on her cheeks.

Celeste, not so far away from the specific table, heard everything she had to know. She dismissed herself reluctantly from the place, not waiting for her friend to come back.

"What a cheater." Suddenly, a big word came out of her lips while getting away from the unpleasant view to her eyes.