The next day, Gray arrived at the office just past 7:30 a.m.. It was earlier than usual, but he wanted enough ti to settle things before the supplier eting later that afternoon.
Once inside his office, he took a few sips of coffee and got to work. Marcus had already sent a list of docunts and talking points he’d need for the eting.
He was really thankful to the man for guiding him in this one.
Based on what Marcus told him, he needed to prepare 5 docunts.
The first one was a Purchase Volu Reports. It was to show how much the store had been ordering in the past 3 to 6 months. The idea was to prove that volu had significantly increased to justify the negotiation for lower unit prices.
The second one was a Projected Sales Forecast. It was a docunt to show that the increase in volu of orders wasn’t just for a one-ti spike, but will be consistent in the future.
The third one was a Competitor Pricing Analysis. It was a docunt that will show the comparison of similar product prices offered by rival stores. It was to give Gray more leverage in discussions.
The fourth one was a Proposed Terms Sheet. That was already done since Marcus already drafted a preliminary list of revised rates and delivery conditions they wanted from the supplier, leaving so wiggle room for negotiation.
Now it was up to Gray to play with that.
"And of course the last one..."
It was an internal evaluation that showed the supplier’s past performance. It was things like delivery speed, product quality, and service issues. Gray could use this either as a last card, depending on how the conversation went.
"Just my second day of office and I’m already filled with paperwork," Gray sighed in defeat as he slumped on his office chair.
As he stayed there, he recalled the line that Marcus told them
"Stick to the facts, Gray. But still, be firm and respectful."
"I should rember that," Gray let out another sigh. After resting for a few seconds, he straightened his back and went to work again.
However, by 10:00 a.m., Gray packed up the docunts.
"So where am I supposed to go again?"
Gray unlocked his phone and scrolled through his ssages, looking for the one he received yesterday night. It didn’t take long for him to find it.
[Old Man]: Hello, Gray! Please et tomorrow at Coastal View Café Back Patio. 10:30 a.m.
"Oh, right," he muttered before putting the screen off. "Coastal View Café."
He stepped into the hallway and ssaged Daniel.
[Gray]: Can you drive to Coastal View Café?
A mont later, his phone buzzed.
[Daniel]: Of course, Sir. I’ll be waiting at the front in five.
Gray made his way down with the folder in his hand. The talk with the old man might be long, so he was better prepared than sorry. Because of it, Gray was also dressed in his best formal wear.
By the ti he exited the lobby, Daniel was already parked at the entrance. Gray got into the car, placed the folder on his lap, and gave Daniel a short nod.
"Let’s go."
The drive to the café was quiet. The streets were calm for a weekday morning. As the ride went on, Gray couldn’t help but think about what the eting would be about. It was just too sudden.
He wondered what the old man wanted to say. And more than that, he wondered what kind of person he really was.
The last ti they t, Gray had saved the man from being hit by a reckless driver crossing an intersection. The old man looked completely ordinary by then with modest clothes, plain sneakers, and a kind but weathered face.
Back then, they didn’t even introduce each other’s nas.
And now, here they were, having a proper eting.
When they finally arrived at the Coastal View Café, Gray stepped out and took in a quick look at the restaurant. The restaurant obviously had a the, which was sea. It was obvious because they mostly used blue and sand colors.
Gray straightened his blazer and made his way inside. The staff greeted him politely as he asked for the back patio.
"Back Patio, please."
It seed like the waitress imdiately got him.
"This way, Sir," one of the waiters gestured.
Gray followed the girl. He was calm and casual, not thinking too much about it. However, that quickly dropped when he stepped through the patio doors.
That’s when he paused.
The old man was already seated at a private corner table by the railing, looking outside. But he wasn’t alone.
Sitting beside him was another man. The man looked much younger, maybe in his mid-30s . He was dressed in a tailored navy suit and polished shoes. His posture was sharp, his face was also unreadable.
Even the old man, who had looked so plain during their first eting, was now dressed in an elegant three-piece suit. His white hair was neatly combed, and a gold watch glinted on his wrist as he held his glass of water.
Gray blinked slowly.
"...Huh."
This was nothing like what he expected.
The old man looked up just as Gray stepped into view, and instantly, his expression brightened.
’What is this?’ Gray cleared his throat and slowly continued to approached the table, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Hello?"
"Gray!" the man called, his voice carrying easily across the patio. He stood up from his chair with surprising energy for his age. His eyes crinkled with joy. "There you are, my boy!"
Gray imdiately stopped in his tracks.
The old man turned excitedly to the suited man beside him.
"Doesn’t he look good? Hm? I told you he would! What do you think of ? He’s nice isn’t he?"
The assistant gave Gray a polite nod and a small smile but said nothing.
anwhile, Gray just stood there, utterly confused.
’What the fuck is happening?’ he thought, blinking
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