Planning

I read the planning document that Ace made at a glance. From just a glance I've been impressed, the café will attract attention. The exterior and interior design I can imagine is not only comfortable in the eyes, there is an impression that will make us decide to spend longer in the café later.

I didn't expect him to invite me to be a work partner. My heart jumped at that time, but I wished my face hadn't shown that happiness. I could be embarrassed if that happened. I arranged my actions as calmly as possible.

"What can I help you with?" I finally asked. After looking through the design, my heart leaned in not wanting to let go of this opportunity. Ace hadn't explained what I could help with, so I asked.

As I raised my face and looked at Ace, I found a look of relief radiating clearly from Ace's smile.

"I'm glad you are willing to accept this plan. I think you will reject it because there has been a lot of work," the owner said with a relieved smile.

"As you can see in the design schedule of this project," Ace said, his index finger pulling a paper containing a description of the design schedule and work plan. In the paper, it is listed the name of the day, the date, the name of the activity, and the deadline. There is also an obstacle description column.

"I will give you all the digital documents after this. Later, you can write down what activities are constrained and what makes them constrained directly in the digital document. That way, we not only have documentation but also make it easier to communicate and record keeping. We do not spend a lot of paper. With the digital document, I can find solutions and anticipate problems that may arise in the future. A digital footprint will help us to predict bad events in the future. You monitor development activities, hold an evaluation with the foreman, find out if there are obstacles or not, if there are any, the record here and tell me, we discuss. The first stage of the thing I asked of you was that because now the new project plan is in this stage of development. I will tell the foreman that you are the development supervisor representing me."

When I heard the statement, I could imagine the busyness I would experience over the next month. I feel like a very precious person. It seems that Ace is not only a friend but a valuable hope for me. And based on this document, I can also feel the arrival of new experiences. Ace opens up a new experience.

"I understand. The problem here, is I don't know about the types of quality materials. What if they try to deceive you by choosing materials you don't want?"

Ace seemed to think for a while, "You just take a portrait of everything. I may be able to recognize quality ingredients or not from it."

I feel my forehead shrinking. "Really?"

I didn't know he could do it.

"I was taught by someone how to do it. I'll tell you too. I not only worked part-time in the bar but also had part-time in the development area in Singapore," he said.

Suddenly I feel that the development area in Singapore is more sophisticated than in Indonesia, so maybe it is true that there are certain ways to know the quality of the material just from the photo. In addition, Ace so it looks more and more different in my eyes. Ace became a shrewd hard worker in my eyes. Before, I thought he was just a young master who spent time playing around in Singapore under the pretext of business lectures.

"You don't have to worry about it anyway. I made a work contract with a trusted contractor," the smile on Ace's lips expanded again.

Sometimes I forget that the social level of our association is different. I still wonder why I met and got along with him. I nodded in relief at Ace's description. I don't think I should worry about anything. Ace had a different experience and background than me.

"Okay then, I just need to look at the development and record it right?"

Ace nodded. "Any other questions?"

Why did you choose me?

I asked silently. I didn't get to the heart to ask it out loud through my mouth. It felt like that question made me look inferior.

"On the contrary, maybe you still have something to say." I looked at Ace, looking forward to him adding important information as a co-worker.

I saw Ace nodding. Ace said other things I needed to know in this business plan. Ace also told the reason why he has not been able to leave work in Singapore because the job is not an ordinary part-time job. Other values cannot be left easily. One of them wants to maintain a good relationship with the owner. So, Ace will finish the employment contract first and then go home. In addition, she still has to complete a thesis, do a trial, and graduate. When it was done, Ace felt that he could only focus one hundred percent on his own business.

"You don't plan to continue your study?"

The question automatically slid out of my mouth when Ace finished offending the master's education that was about to end. Ace answered my question by shaking his head.

"I have a purpose now. I've equipped myself to make it happen. I decided to make it happen right now."

I feel deja vu. His words were like I had heard from someone. Did Victor say the same thing yesterday? Maybe.

From this meeting and seeing his determination I learned new things from Ace. I realized Ace had grown. There is something that used to be not in him, now it seems like it is starting to grow. Maybe it used to be new in the form of seeds planted in the ground. It takes time for the seeds to sprout. Ace must have been very well watered and ensured its growth took place properly. Although slow, the results show healthy growth. I hope so.

"In addition to having a café in Jogja, I also have other plans. Later I will tell you, for the time being, I can't tell it yet," Ace said with a shining face.

"You better not tell me, I can envy you," I said. Ace laughed at my confession.

This is honesty. My confession made me feel something turbulent in me. I also want to grow. In the past, I also wanted to have a café with a concept that makes people comfortable to work and also read books. In addition to the café, I also want to have a convenience store to provide household needs such as Superindo. It's a pity, all those became memories. None of these business models have materialized. It may also be because I chose the path of writing, becoming a copywriter and writing fiction, so I couldn't develop ideas for building a café or a convenience store.

"Since you have agreed, I will send you the digital file. You can learn more later at home. How about after this you come with me to the construction site of the café?"

"Okay," I said, but my mind reminded me that there was some work I still hadn't done.

"Wait, didn't you say you have a maximum of only four hours with me? If you go there, you will spend more time."

I don't understand why Ace became unpalatable in my decision. I'm not sacrificing for him. I did this because I was curious and also am I not his work partner? Isn't what I'm going to do later part of our cooperation?

"It doesn't matter. The deadline is still two days away, so I still have time. I can take a long time today."

Ace looked worried.

"Otherwise, today when else? you said you should go back to Singapore as soon as possible?"

Ace seemed disappointed with his time division.

"You are right. Otherwise today there is no more. You have to go there yourself."

After that, we went together to the location of the prospective café. Ace offered me a ride in his car, I agreed to just get in the car, because it made it easier to travel. Therefore, Ace followed me back to Kosan first because I had to leave my motorbike in kos. From Kosan, I didn't go up to the room. I just turned around from the parking lot and got into Ace's car.

The construction site of ace café candidates is not too far away. It's about 14 km from my boarding house. Prospective cafes are built in areas that are easy to find, easy to reach, and certain areas that are certainly promising for café businesses. By being built in that place, I can see the target market very clearly. From groups of tourists to students and workers who are looking for a suitable place to do tasks.

"How did you find this place?"

Ace did not answer immediately. Ace looked at the few workers who had already begun to dig the ground. The excavation will be a place to install thick iron claws as the foundation of the café wall.

I have a guess that the land being worked on is private land, owned by his family. It feels like things get easier when we have that much basic capital.

"This is inheritance. Papa gave it to me."

"Inheritance?" My guess about private land is correct, but regarding inheritance, I didn't expect it. The word inheritance is always associated with the fact that the father has died.

"Papa died one month ago. In his will, papa mentioned this place as mine."

My heart sank. I tried to find a beam of light in Ace's eyes that turned my face away from me.

"Why don't you tell me?" I asked.

Ace looked at me. No tears were dripping there, but the sense of loss radiated in both of his eyeballs.

Ace didn't answer my question. Could it be that he didn't tell me that his papa died because I was just a friend? Not someone who will be his back when grieving? So I don't have to cut. What's the reason for not telling me?

Why did I suddenly feel I had the right to come to his father's funeral?