Chapter 54 – New Ground

  The next day arrived quietly, without any lingering tension or unresolved drama trailing behind it.

  By late morning, Lucien and Mira were already on the tram, seated side by side as the city slid past the windows in familiar, almost comforting patterns. The hum of the rails and the distant murmur of other passengers created a steady backdrop as the outline of MICF Campus gradually came into view.

  This trip carried a different weight. There was no rush driving this trip, no urgency in their movements. It was a practical step forward, one taken carefully, with the understanding that whatever they chose here would set the foundation for what came next.

  Mira stood once they neared their stop, folding her arms loosely as she looked out over the sprawling campus ahead. Her gaze lingered on the moving crowds and the intersecting paths, the sense of constant momentum that never seemed to fade.

  “This place always feels… different,” she said after a moment. “Like it never actually slows down, no matter what time it is.”

  Lucien followed her line of sight, nodding faintly. “That’s exactly why we’re here,” he replied. “If a café can survive here, it can survive most of the places in Marilon.”

  They disembarked at the main MICF stop and followed the posted signs toward the administrative wing, the section responsible for commercial leases and storefront rentals. The building itself wasn’t particularly striking, but it buzzed with activity. Students hurried in and out, staff crossed paths with practiced efficiency, and nearly everyone carried some form of clipboard, datapad, or slate.

  Inside, the atmosphere was loud but orderly. Several counters were open, each handling a different request, while clusters of people waited nearby, talking animatedly about contracts, approvals, or paperwork delays.

  Lucien took a step toward, about to approach the reception desk, when he stopped abruptly.

  “…Huh?”

  Mira halted beside him at the same time, following his gaze.

  Standing near one of the counters were two figures they both recognized instantly.

  “Sera?” Lucien said, genuinely surprised. “Kiro?”

  Both of them turned around at once. For a brief second, no one spoke.

  Then Sera blinked twice. “Senior?”

  Kiro’s eyes widened. “No way. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  Mira looked between them, recognition clicking immediately. “Wait, aren’t you two the ones who run Lucien’s fan page? You also organized that unofficial fan meeting at the café, right?”

  Sera smiled without hesitation. “That would be us.”

  “Looks like you still remember us from last time,” Kiro added cheerfully. “Didn’t think we’d be running into each other here, though.”

  Lucien shook his head, amused by the turn of events. “What are you both doing here?”

  “We’re working,” Sera replied matter-of-factly. “Extracurricular credits.”

  Kiro nodded with obvious enthusiasm. “We’re assigned to guide potential renters. Show them available storefronts, explain the rules, rental structure, regulations, foot traffic data, all that fun stuff.”

  Lucien raised a brow. “I heard these positions are hard to get and extremely competitive.”

  “Of course they are,” Sera and Kiro replied at the same time.

  Sera laughed first, clearly enjoying the reaction. “Good pay, flexible hours, and easy credits.”

  “And you get to walk around campus all day instead of sitting in a lecture hall,” Kiro added. “People fight tooth and nail for this. Seriously… like a battlefield.”

  Mira smiled at them. “Then congratulations. Getting this in such competition isn’t easy.”

  Kiro straightened just a bit, pride evident. “Naturally.”

  “We didn’t luck into it,” Sera said, folding her arms, clearly pleased. “We earned it.”

  Then she tilted her head, studying Lucien more closely. “So… what are you doing here, senior?”

  Lucien didn’t dodge it. He smiled lightly. “We’re looking at storefronts.”

  Kiro’s eyes lit up immediately. “Wait. Are you opening a branch here on campus?”

  “Yes,” Lucien confirmed. “The café is almost always at full capacity now. Expanding felt like the logical next step.”

  Kiro let out a low whistle and gave a thumbs-up. “Respect. Serious respect. MICF cafés are brutal. The competition here is basically a meat grinder.”

  Sera shot him a look. “You say that, but haven’t you noticed how many MICF students go to his café already?”

  Kiro paused. “Well… yeah.”

  “There’s always a steady stream,” Sera continued. “Half of my classmates talk about it like it’s an off-campus pilgrimage. Opening a branch here isn’t reckless. It’s smart and logical.”

  Lucien nodded, clearly aligned with her assessment. “That’s exactly what I thought. We already have students coming in daily. I’m not worried about opening and closing within a month.”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Then he turned slightly, gesturing toward Mira. “Especially since she’ll be managing it.”

  Both Sera and Kiro turned to Mira almost in sync.

  “Oh,” Sera said, then smiled. “Congratulations on the promotion.”

  “Congratulations,” Kiro added. “That’s huge.”

  Mira cleared her throat, still not entirely used to it. “Thank you.”

  Kiro clapped his hands once. “Alright then. Enough standing around.”

  Sera smiled at Lucien. “Senior, we’ll show you the best currently available options. Places with solid foot traffic, reasonable rent, and layouts that won’t fight you at every turn.”

  She raised a finger. “But I’ll say this upfront. Don’t expect miracle locations. The prime locations are almost always occupied by long-term tenants, big chains, or legacy stores. They don’t move unless something dramatic happens.”

  Lucien waved a hand casually. “That’s fine. Just show us the best among what’s available. I doubt we could afford the truly premium ones anyway.”

  Sera nodded, clearly approving of his expectations. “Good mindset.”

  With that, the four of them headed out together.

  The first storefront sat close to the central lecture halls, right in the path of heavy midday traffic. Students passed constantly, but the space itself was narrow, with limited room to breathe.

  “The flow here is excellent,” Kiro explained as they stepped inside, “but it’s tight. You’ll feel the squeeze hard during peak hours.”

  The second option was larger and quieter, positioned near one of the student residential blocks.

  “This one gets steady evening traffic,” Sera said. “Less impulse buying, more repeat customers. People come here intentionally.”

  The third storefront lay near an intersection between departments. It wasn’t the busiest area on campus, but it saw consistent movement throughout the day.

  “Decent space,” Kiro added. “Rent’s manageable too. It’s not flashy, but it’s reliable.”

  Lucien and Mira walked through each one carefully, exchanging looks, asking questions, picturing layouts, mentally rearranging counters, seating and workflow. They didn’t rush and took their time. This wasn’t about grabbing something fast. It was about choosing something that could last.

  As they stepped back outside after viewing the third location, Mira let out a long sigh she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

  Lucien noticed immediately. He slowed his steps and glanced at her. “Hard to choose?”

  She nodded without hesitation. “Yeah. This isn’t just about liking a space. If we get it wrong, it’s not a small mistake. It’s rent, renovations, equipment, staff, supplies.” She exhaled again, quieter this time. “That’s a lot of money to lose if the location can’t support us.”

  Lucien smiled, easy and reassuring. “It’s alright. We don’t have to force a decision standing in the street. Let’s think it through properly.”

  He looked around, then added lightly, “And thinking works better when you’re not hungry. Let’s grab something to eat.”

  Turning to Kiro and Sera, he smiled. “My treat. Thanks for walking us through everything.”

  Sera raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “You know it’s literally our job, right?”

  Kiro grinned. “But we also never turn down free food.”

  Lucien laughed. “Perfect.”

  They headed toward a cluster of nearby food stalls just off the main campus path. The smell of grilled snacks and fried dough filled the air, students crowding around counters with easy familiarity. After grabbing a few plates and drinks, they walked to a small park nearby, dotted with benches and shared tables where people ate, studied, or simply rested between classes.

  They settled at an open table under a tree.

  For a few moments, no one spoke. Cutlery clinked softly, wrappers crinkled, and the distant sound of campus life filled the gaps.

  Eventually, Mira looked up at Kiro and Sera. “So… are those three really the only viable options?”

  Kiro shook his head. “They’re the best ones that fit your requirements. The others either have awkward layouts, terrible foot traffic, or rents that would eat you alive.”

  Sera nodded in agreement. “Some places look good on paper, but once you factor in customer flow, visibility, and long-term sustainability, they fall apart fast.”

  Mira nodded slowly, absorbing it.

  Lucien wiped his hands and leaned back slightly. “What do you think about the last one? The one near the intersection between departments.”

  Mira didn’t answer immediately. She thought it over again, replaying the space in her head. The entrance, the seating, the way people passed by without overcrowding.

  “I think it’s the best option,” she said finally. “The one near the lecture halls gets great traffic, but the space is way too small. It’ll become a problem the moment we grow even a little more.”

  “And the one near the residential block?” Lucien prompted.

  “Too quiet,” she replied. “Students spend most of their day on campus. That place will only see traffic at specific hours. It’s not bad, but it’s not ideal for us.”

  Lucien nodded slowly. “That lines up with my thinking.”

  Then Mira hesitated. “There’s one issue, though.”

  “The kitchen?” Lucien guessed.

  She nodded. “It’s small. Not suitable if we’re running the full menu.”

  Lucien shook his head calmly. “We won’t be.”

  Mira looked up surprised. “We won’t?”

  “No,” he said. “We don’t need a full kitchen setup there. A basic kitchen will be enough.”

  She frowned slightly. “Then where will the food come from?”

  “The main branch,” Lucien replied. “Prepared there and transported daily.”

  Mira stared at him for a moment. “Does that… actually work? Won’t it create extra workload?”

  “It does,” Lucien admitted. “But it’s manageable. And more importantly, it’s scalable.”

  He continued, more thoughtfully now. “If every branch had to prepare everything on-site, expansion becomes impossible and stalls immediately. Quality would vary, hygiene becomes harder to enforce, and costs spiral.”

  Mira listened closely.

  “In the future,” Lucien went on, “this is how all branches will work. Central kitchens for each region. They handle preparation and supply nearby branches. That’s the only way we can scale without losing consistency.”

  Kiro nodded immediately. “That’s exactly how the big chains do it for safety, hygiene, and consistency. You can’t trust every location to replicate the same standards perfectly.”

  “And it keeps the taste uniform,” Sera added. “Customers hate inconsistency more than almost anything. It ruins trust faster than bad service.”

  Mira slowly nodded, understanding settling in. “That actually makes a lot of sense.”

  Lucien smiled. “That’s future planning. For now, we can make this branch work by supplying it from the main café.”

  Mira looked back toward the campus buildings, then at Lucien again. Her earlier tension eased.

  “…Alright,” she said. “Then I think we’ve got our answer.”

  Lucien nodded once. “Looks like it.”

  Mira still looked a little thoughtful, her gaze lingering on the campus paths as students passed by. She wasn’t anxious exactly, but the weight of responsibility was clearly settling in.

  Sera noticed it and laughed lightly. “Hey, don’t look so worried,” she said. “We’ll definitely support Senior’s café. Even if it’s not every single day, we’ll come by often.”

  Kiro nodded along. “And we can drag our friends and classmates along too. Group study sessions, treats after exams, random hangouts. You name it.”

  Sera snapped her fingers. “Exactly. And don’t forget, we still run the fan page.”

  Kiro grinned. “Yeah. We can post updates about the new branch, opening days, specials, behind-the-scenes stuff. Funnel the fans straight to the café.”

  Sera gave Mira an exaggeratedly serious look. “So even in the worst-case scenario, if somehow no one shows up…” she paused for effect, then smiled, “…we’ll still be there.”

  Mira finally laughed despite herself, the remaining tension easing from her shoulders. “Thank you. Both of you. I know you’re joking, but… it really helps.”

  Lucien smiled as well, watching the exchange unfold. “It really does,” he agreed.

  Between their easy confidence and genuine support, the uncertainty that lingered just moments ago faded into something far more manageable.

  The new branch no longer felt like a risk taken alone. It felt like a step taken together.