I went to the restaurant during lunch break to check up on everything and see how the renovation was coming along.
And honestly, there had been a lot of progress.
Like, not just small improvements here and there, but actual noticeable changes. The place was starting to look like something real instead of just a half-finished project with wires and dust everywhere.
The PCs were already getting set up properly, and seeing them lined up like that made it feel more legit. It wasn't just an idea anymore. It was slowly turning into an actual internet café.
The spacing was good too. I made sure there was enough room between each unit so people wouldn't feel cramped while using them. No one likes bumping elbows with a stranger while trying to focus. There was also an area set aside where customers could take a break, maybe sit down, read some comics, or just relax for a bit. It wasn't fully set up yet, but the intention was already there.
Of course, not everything was finished. There were still a few things missing, and some parts needed polishing, but overall, the progress was steady. It felt like things were finally coming together, piece by piece.
I took a step back and looked around, just to take it all in.
"It looks like I'll need more ♥︎ if I want to push this further," I muttered under my breath. "I should probably get a vending machine too. People are definitely going to want drinks, and that's extra income right there."
It sounded simple, but those small additions added up. The more I thought about it, the more it felt like I was actually running a business and not just playing pretend.
Still, before anything else, I had to make sure everything was finished properly.
There was no point rushing things and ending up with a half-baked setup.
I spent some time coordinating with the project manager as well. We went over a few details, talked about how certain parts should be implemented, and discussed some of the features I wanted to include in the café.
So far, they had been really easy to work with. Honestly, I couldn't ask for more than that.
If things kept going like this, I didn't see any reason why there would be problems later on.
In fact, everything had been going pretty smoothly for me recently.
Almost suspiciously smooth.
The only thing left to really think about was… marketing.
Yeah, that part.
If everything stayed on schedule, the café should be ready to open next week.
There was still a chance something might delay it, of course. Something always comes up when you least expect it. But for now, things looked stable.
Which meant I had to start thinking about how to actually get customers.
Because opening a business without people knowing about it was basically the same as not opening it at all.
Initial marketing was important. Really important.
If I wanted a decent number of customers during the opening, I needed to create some kind of buzz beforehand. Something that would get people interested enough to actually show up.
The problem was… I had no clue how to do that.
I mean, I knew the basics. Good marketing means good exposure, and good exposure usually comes from things like commercials, promotions, social media, all that stuff.
But knowing that and actually doing it were two completely different things.
I didn't know how to make a proper commercial. Not even close. It wasn't like I could just pick up a camera and suddenly become a marketing expert overnight.
"Well… I do have an idea, but…"
Samantha.
Since she was already famous, I could probably use that to my advantage. Even a single post from her on social media could bring in a lot of attention. Probably more than anything I could come up with on my own.
The issue was… how was I supposed to even bring that up?
It wasn't exactly something you casually ask. "Hey, can you promote my business for me?" Yeah, that definitely wouldn't sound awkward at all. Not.
Then again, I had her number.
So… might as well try.
I took out my phone and called her.
I didn't expect her to answer immediately, but for some reason, she did.
"Hello?" she said.
"Uh, hello. This is Samantha, right?" I asked, just to be sure.
"Yes. And you?"
Right. She didn't recognize my voice.
That made sense. We had only met once, and it wasn't exactly a long interaction. Still, it gave me a bit of an idea why she might attract the wrong kind of attention sometimes.
"It's… we met last time. At the convenience store?"
"Oh, you!" she said, her tone instantly becoming more lively. "I've, like, been wondering when you were going to, like, call me. So? What do you need?"
She sounded cheerful. A bit too cheerful, actually. Like she had been expecting this call or something.
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COMPLETED
Samantha might want to talk to you. Make sure to text her using her number later!
Reward: 10♥︎ Affection
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And now that I had her on the line… my brain decided to stop working.
Great timing.
I suddenly had no idea what to say.
My communication skills weren't exactly top-tier to begin with, and now I was just sitting there in silence like I had dialed her number by accident.
"Hello~?" she said after a short pause. "Are you, like, still there, or did you just call me to breathe?"
"Ah, yeah, I'm here," I said quickly, snapping out of it.
"Good. Because that would've been a weird call," she replied lightly.
Yeah, no argument there.
"By the way, where are you?" she continued. "I was actually looking for you earlier so you could show me around the university, but I couldn't find you anywhere."
"Ah, I'm not on campus right now," I said. "I'm at a place where I'm setting up a business."
"Business?" she repeated.
"Yeah. An internet café."
"An internet café?" she said again, this time with more interest. "Ooh."
She sounded curious.
"You're really opening your own internet café?" she asked.
"Yeah. That's the plan."
"Where is it?"
"It's in the city. A bit far from the university, but it's easy to get to if you have a car. I just rode my motorcycle here, so it didn't take long."
"I want to see it."
I blinked.
"You… want to?"
"Yes. I've never actually been inside an internet café before, so now I'm curious. Can I come check it out?"
Well, that worked out better than expected.
Actually, it worked out a little too well.
"Yeah, sure. That's fine," I said.
"Great. I'm heading there now. Send me the address."
"Wait, right now?" I asked, a bit caught off guard. "Don't you have afternoon classes starting in like thirty minutes?"
"Yeah, but, like, I'm planning to skip them," she said casually, like it wasn't a big deal. "I'm already on my way."
Before I could say anything else, the call ended.
Just like that.
I stared at my phone for a few seconds, looking at the call screen like it might explain what just happened.
"Seriously?" I muttered to myself. "I was actually planning to attend those afternoon lectures."