That morning, Parman came to school with several packages of bread in his bag. This time, his steps felt lighter than they had on the first day he tried selling them.
He wasn't as afraid anymore.
Not because he was sure everything would sell, but because he was beginning to understand that every effort had to go through a process.
When he reached the classroom, Darto came straight over.
"Brought more?"
Parman nodded.
"Yeah."
"How many?"
"Ten packages."
Darto looked inside his bag.
"You made more this time?"
"Yeah. They sold out yesterday."
"Whoa, look at the young businessman."
Parman laughed.
"Don't be so dramatic."
"I'm trying to keep you motivated."
Several friends who had overheard them started asking questions too.
"Man, are you still selling bread?"
"Yeah."
"Any new flavors?"
Parman smiled.
"There are. Someone said yesterday's was too sweet, so I cut back on the sugar."
Darto immediately looked at Parman.
"Wait, you actually listen to customer feedback?"
"Yeah."
"Even though it's just a small business?"
"That's exactly why I need to know what's missing."
Darto nodded in admiration.
"The way you think is different now."
Parman only smiled.
He could feel the change in himself too.
In the past, he often thought small things weren't important.
Now he knew that small things could determine big results.
When recess arrived, several students began buying Parman's bread.
However, the day didn't go as smoothly as he'd imagined.
Some of the packages didn't sell.
Parman looked at the bread left in his bag.
"There are still three."
Darto looked at his face.
"Why the long face?"
"I'm afraid they won't sell."
"It's only three."
"Yeah, but if I have leftovers every day, I'll lose money."
Darto picked up one of the breads.
"I don't think you should focus on what didn't sell yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Look at how many you did manage to sell."
Parman fell silent.
Darto had a point.
He'd been so focused on what was lacking that he'd forgotten to look at his progress.
After school, Parman didn't go straight home. He went to Pak Harun's corner stall to ask for his opinion.
"Sir."
"Yeah, Man?"
"What should I do if I don't sell all my goods?"
Pak Harun smiled.
"What do you think?"
Parman thought for a moment.
"Maybe I should make fewer."
"You could."
"Or figure out why they didn't sell out."
"Exactly. That's more important."
Parman nodded.
Pak Harun took a drink from the shelf.
"In business, don't just ask why you failed."
"Then what should I ask?"
"Ask what you can improve, too."
Parman remembered those words.
That night, he started taking notes.
Seven packages sold today.
Three left over.
Maybe customers prefer certain flavors.
Tomorrow, try making fewer and improve the flavor.
He read the notes several times.
To other people, they might have been nothing more than ordinary words on paper.
But to Parman, they were how he learned.
The next day, he tried making some changes.
He brought two different flavors.
One was chocolate.
The other was cheese.
When Darto saw them, he immediately laughed.
"Now there's a selection?"
"Yeah."
"Just like a big store."
"So I can see which one people like better."
It turned out the idea worked.
A lot of his friends chose chocolate, but some liked cheese too.
One of Parman's friends even offered a suggestion.
"Man, try making them smaller. Sometimes I only want a little snack."
Parman immediately wrote it down.
"Okay, I'll try it later."
After a few days, Parman began to see a pattern.
He started to know the busiest hours.
He knew the favorite flavors.
He knew which customers bought from him often.
That made him even more motivated.
However, a new problem came up.
His mother began to worry because Parman seemed too busy.
That night, while they were eating, Mom asked him,
"Have you been tired lately?"
"A little, Mom."
"Don't let your grades drop."
"Yeah."
"You're still young. Don't feel like you have to chase everything right now."
Parman fell silent.
He knew his mother was right.
He was so enthusiastic that he sometimes forgot to rest.
"Yeah, Mom. I'll manage my time."
Dad, who had been listening to the conversation, joined in.
"Enthusiasm is good, but don't forget to take care of yourself."
Parman nodded.
That night, he made a new schedule.
Study time.
Time to help Pak Harun.
Time to make bread.
Time to rest.
He began to understand that anyone who wanted to move forward had to work hard, but also had to know how to manage themselves.
A few days later, something unexpected happened.
While Parman was selling bread at school, a teacher approached him.
"Parman."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Did you make those?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Can I place an order for a class event next week?"
Parman was startled.
"An order?"
"Yes. About fifty packages."
Parman immediately fell silent.
Fifty.
That was far more than usual.
"Can you do it?"
Parman swallowed.
He was actually nervous.
But then he remembered everything he'd learned.
Don't be afraid to try.
In the end, he nodded.
"I can, ma'am."
After the teacher left, Darto came over right away.
"Man."
"Hmm?"
"Fifty packages?"
"Yeah."
"Can you handle that?"
Parman looked at his little notebook.
"I don't know yet."
Darto panicked.
"What?"
"But I'll find a way."
Darto smiled.
"Now that's the friend I know."
That afternoon, Parman went home with his mind full of thoughts.
An order for fifty packages was no small thing.
He knew it was an opportunity.
But he also knew that if he miscalculated, he could end up losing money.
For the first time, Parman faced a challenge that truly tested his abilities.
And this time, he wasn't just learning from other people.
He had to prove to himself that he could overcome this new challenge.