Yohan left the shop after that. He hadn't eaten all morning and was just a breath away from passing out.
He got himself a meal, then began strategizing. If he really wanted to take his business to the next level, he needed to be smart.
The blueprint was in the wellness book—but to actually pull it off, he needed a few things. One of those things was money.
"Rebranding any business would require some funds… and I'll also need to buy materials," he sighed.
He thought it over for a while before an idea came to him. "Maybe I could get a loan…"
It wasn't a bad idea, but there was a catch—they were still paying off the original loan his parents had used to purchase the shop. Even though only a small percentage of that debt remained, Yohan wasn't confident he could take on another one.
He had no choice but to discuss it with his uncle. Maybe he had a way—or would even lend him some money.
It wasn't the most ideal situation, but for now, it was his only option.
That evening, he sat down with his uncle and explained the situation.
His uncle stroked his chin as he shifted on the couch. "What exactly do you need the money for?"
"I want to rebrand the massage parlour into a wellness spa."
"That isn't going to change anything. You think it's just that simple?" his uncle said, clearly unimpressed. "Changing the name isn't magically going to make people start coming in. I can't let you dump my money into a sinking ship."
Yohan sighed. This was the most likely outcome, so he wasn't too surprised. 'What was I even thinking?'
He stood up to leave, but his uncle stopped him.
"Wait. I can't help you—but if you really want a loan, I can introduce you to some people."
The next morning, his uncle took him to meet a friend—supposedly a businessman. But from the moment they entered the building and saw the thugs hanging around, Yohan could tell: this man was a loan shark.
"I'll give you the money you need," the man said, "but it'll be at fifty percent interest. Every month. Can you do that for me?"
Yohan looked at the smirk on his uncle's face. He clearly hadn't done this out of kindness. This was a test. He just wanted to see if Yohan would be dumb enough to agree to such an outrageous deal.
These were the kinds of loans that were practically impossible to repay. Fifty percent interest meant double the amount every two months.
'If I don't have the money now, how am I supposed to have double in two months?'
Normally, Yohan would've backed out. But this time, he was sure—if he had the right capital, he could make it work. He could possibly even pay them back before the first month even ended.
"Where do I sign?"
After a few signatures, Yohan and his uncle were sent on their way. Still, he couldn't shake off the final warning from the loan shark:
"We don't do collateral… because you are our collateral. Try to run, and I'll find ya."
The eerie meaning behind those words lingered. Yohan had heard the rumors—loan sharks selling organs when people failed to pay.
His uncle, on the other hand, was in high spirits. He was convinced Yohan had taken the bait. In his mind, once the business failed, Yohan would have no choice but to turn to him. Then he could easily convince him to sell the massage parlour.
They went their separate ways, and Yohan returned to the shop.
When he got there, he saw Mia sweeping the front entrance. She was petite and slightly chubby, with big, full breasts and long black hair cascading over her shoulders.
"Good evening, Yohan."
"Good evening, Mia. You're still here?"
It was already quite late—he had expected everyone to have gone home.
"I was about to leave, but I couldn't just go."
Yohan raised an eyebrow. "You stayed back to… clean?"
Sure, he had said it earlier—but he hadn't actually expected them to follow through.
"Yeah. I did it yesterday too," she said, blushing slightly, unable to meet his gaze.
He had noticed before—Mia was a good girl. A little shy. She wore big, round glasses that made her look cute and innocent, and she always spoke softly.
Yohan gave her a soft smile and a thumbs-up. "Good work."
"When the shop starts doing better, I'll give you a raise," he added with a dry chuckle, unintentionally making things awkward.
"I can finish up if you're tired," he offered.
"Are you serious? Thank you so much," she said with a bright smile. "I'm supposed to meet a friend after work, and I'll be late if I don't go change now."
"It's fine. Just leave the rest to me," Yohan puffed up his chest.
She handed him the broom and headed to the changing room. Soon, she returned in casual clothes.
"See you tomorrow, Yohan," she waved as she walked away.
"Good night, Mia," Yohan replied. He watched as she walked a short distance to a man leaning on a motorbike.
The man looked like a thug—tattoos, hard face, rough vibe.
"Is that her boyfriend?"
As if to answer his question, the guy grabbed her ass—rudely, with a full squeeze. She brushed his hand away, but it was clear this wasn't the first time.
Yohan was stunned. He didn't expect to see someone grope Mia so shamelessly in public.
"Why is she dating that kind of guy?" he wondered.
Mia came from a good background. She wasn't like the other girls—or so he thought.
'Now I just regret offering to help' he sighed.
"Uhmm… excuse me, are you still open?"
He turned to see a woman in a yellow sundress standing behind him.