The next morning, Himawan and Miyuki sat on a bench near the lemonade stand, watching the town slowly come to life. Business had been decent yesterday, but the real challenge lay ahead—scaling up.
Himawan drummed his fingers on his knee. "We need more than just a small stand if we want to grow."
Miyuki nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. We could set up more stands, but that would mean hiring people to help. Do you have anyone in mind?"
Himawan sighed. "Not yet. But the system gave me a mission—find a partner or employee to expand the business. It'll reward us with 2,000 yen, which would really help."
[Current Mission: Expand Operations.]
Task: Find a Partner or Employee.
Reward: ¥2,000, Business Expansion Badge.
As the two brainstormed ideas, a scruffy, lanky boy with disheveled hair shuffled by, eyeing their stand curiously. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed and was carrying a beat-up skateboard under his arm.
"Yo, selling lemonade, huh?" the boy said lazily. "Need any help?"
Himawan exchanged a quick glance with Miyuki. This guy could be exactly what we need—a laid-back drifter willing to work for a share of profits.
"Actually, yeah," Himawan said. "We're expanding. How do you feel about running a second stand?"
The boy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's the pay?"
Miyuki chimed in, "A share of the profits, and we'll cover supplies. Plus, once we grow, you could manage an entire section of the business."
The boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds better than doing nothing all day. Name's Riku, by the way. Deal."
[Task Completed: Partner or Employee Acquired.]
Reward: ¥2,000, Business Expansion Badge Unlocked.
A soft ding rang in Himawan's mind, followed by a notification:
[Funds Received: ¥2,000.]
New Mission Unlocked: Expand Product Line.
Task: Introduce a New Drink or Product.
Reward: ¥5,000, Marketing Boost Bonus.
"Alright!" Himawan grinned. "Now we've got the funds to grow. Let's get you set up with a new stand, Riku."
Miyuki clapped her hands excitedly. "Maybe we can add something new to the menu too! We need to attract more customers."
"New products, huh?" Himawan thought aloud. "What about... iced fruit tea? It's easy to make and pretty popular."
"Good idea," Miyuki agreed. "We can offer it as a premium option."
They immediately got to work. With Riku running the second lemonade stand, Himawan and Miyuki started experimenting with iced tea recipes.
By the afternoon, they were ready. Two stands were now open—Himawan's original lemonade stand and Riku's newly placed stall a few blocks away. On top of that, both stands now advertised the new product: Iced Fruit Tea – ¥100.
Business started picking up quickly. People were curious about the new drinks, and Riku's relaxed demeanor surprisingly made him a hit with customers.
[Sales Update: New Product Line Activated.]
[Daily Earnings: ¥3,500.]
Himawan grinned as he checked the growing numbers in his system. With every sale, the dream of wealth inched closer.
"We're doing it," he said, his voice filled with excitement. "This is really happening."
Miyuki smiled warmly. "I told you this would be fun."
Just as everything seemed to be falling into place, however, a group of three thuggish-looking men strolled up to Riku's stand. Himawan tensed, watching from a distance.
"Looks like you're doing pretty well," the tallest of the men sneered. "But this is our turf. You wanna sell here? You pay us a 'fee'."
Riku crossed his arms. "Not interested. Now, get lost."
The man's sneer twisted into an angry scowl. "You've got guts, kid. But guts won't help you when we come back tonight."
The thugs left with a parting shove to Riku's stand, toppling a few cups in the process.
[System Alert: Threat Detected – Business at Risk.]
Task: Protect Your Business.
Miyuki clenched her fists, worry flickering in her eyes. "What are we going to do, Himawan? If they come back, they'll ruin everything."
Himawan's jaw tightened. "Don't worry," he said firmly. "We're not backing down. If they want a fight, they'll get one."
The lemonade stand had grown faster than expected, but with success came new challenges. This wasn't just a business anymore—it was a battlefield.
And Himawan wasn't about to lose the first fight of his new life.
The road to wealth wasn't smooth—but nothing worth having ever was.