Himawan's heart sank as the burly man loomed over him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
"You can't just set up a stand here without permission," the man grumbled. "This area's regulated by the local business office. Got a permit?"
Himawan scratched his head awkwardly. "Permit? Uh... no."
"Then you're coming with me," the man said flatly, grabbing Himawan by the collar.
"Wait, wait! Can't we talk this out?" Himawan pleaded, trying to stall. "It's just lemonade! I'm only getting started—cut me some slack!"
The man stopped, his gruff expression softening slightly, but only just. "Look, kid. I appreciate the hustle, but rules are rules. If you want to do business here, you need to apply for a permit at the town hall."
Himawan clenched his fists in frustration. A permit? Just for lemonade? This isn't going as smoothly as I'd hoped... But then again, this was his first mission, and nothing good ever came easy—he knew that much from the anime he'd binge-watched.
"Alright, alright," Himawan said with a sigh. "I'll go get a permit."
The man gave him a firm pat on the back, almost knocking the wind out of him. "Good. The office closes at 5 PM, so you better hurry. And hey, don't give up, kid. Every big business starts small."
With that, the man walked off, leaving Himawan standing by his half-finished lemonade stand, rubbing his sore shoulder.
[Mission Update: Lemonade Stand Suspended]
Task: Acquire a Business Permit (Optional).
"Seriously?" Himawan groaned, dragging his feet toward the town hall. "This wealth system really doesn't want to hand things to me on a silver platter, huh?"
But before he could get far, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Hey, lemonade guy!"
Himawan turned to see Miyuki—the bubbly schoolgirl from earlier—running toward him, her brown hair bouncing with every step. She skidded to a stop in front of him, hands on her knees as she caught her breath.
"You closed already?" she asked, pouting. "I was hoping to buy another cup on my way back."
Himawan forced a smile. "Yeah, got shut down. Apparently, I need a permit to sell anything around here."
"Ah, that's a pain," Miyuki said sympathetically. Then her eyes lit up. "Hey, you know what? My uncle works at the town hall! I bet he can fast-track the permit for you."
"Really?" Himawan's heart leapt. "That would be amazing!"
Miyuki smiled brightly. "Come on, I'll introduce you!"
The two of them arrived at the town hall just in time, with only a few minutes to spare before closing. Miyuki's uncle, a middle-aged man with a kind smile, welcomed them warmly.
"For a friend of Miyuki's? Of course, I'll help you out," the man said with a chuckle. "Just fill out this form, and I'll get your permit approved by tomorrow morning."
Himawan filled out the paperwork as quickly as he could, feeling like he'd just dodged a bullet.
[Optional Task Completed: Business Permit Acquired]
Reward: Faster Access to Business Locations.
Miyuki gave him a playful nudge as they left the office. "See? I told you my uncle could help."
"Thanks a lot, Miyuki," Himawan said with a grin. "I owe you one."
"You can pay me back with more lemonade," she teased.
The sun was beginning to set as they walked together through the quiet streets. Himawan's mind raced with plans for the future. A lemonade stand was only the beginning. He needed to start small, build a reputation, and gradually expand. Supercars and mansions weren't going to come easy—but now he had a foothold.
As Miyuki chatted away about school festivals and summer plans, Himawan realized that his adventure in this anime world was already becoming more interesting than he'd expected. Not only did he have a chance to make his dream of wealth a reality, but he was starting to make connections—important ones.
"Alright," Himawan muttered to himself. "Tomorrow, it's back to business."
Miyuki tilted her head curiously. "What did you say?"
"Nothing," Himawan said with a grin. "Just getting ready for the next step."
[Daily Mission Update: Progress Saved.]
Tomorrow marked the real start of his journey—because in this world, wealth wasn't just about money. It was about connections, persistence, and a little bit of luck.
And Himawan? He was determined to use every advantage he could get.
The road to riches might have obstacles, but every challenge was just another opportunity waiting to be conquered.