The chocolate company started out with four basic flavors of chocolate. There was:

1.Dark chocolate

2.White chocolate

3.Chocolate with Nuts

4.Caramel filled chocolate

Each with its own packaging.

Hikaru had synthesized 12 more flavors. Not only were there the original ones, but there was also mango flavor, pineapple flavor, pudding flavor, cookie flavor, strawberry flavor, blueberry flavor, etc.

He even made new packages for the synthesized chocolates.

The company had given two weeks for the competition. The competition started on Monday and would end the next Friday, and Hikaru was giving his all, but even still that was not enough.

Hikaru had sold the most chocolates throughout the week but was tied with Alex.

Their sales were miles ahead of anyone else. Each day they both would sell at least 3 cartons of chocolates while others could not even manage to sell one.

Soon the final day, Friday had arrived. Hikaru was enraged at Alex.

He couldn’t figure out how Alex could sell 3 whole cartons like him every day. Hikaru suspected that Alex was using some underhanded method.

They were in class, and Hikaru kept on pondering in school. As the last bell rang to indicate the end of school, he asked

‘Alex, how did you sell as many chocolates as me?’

‘Um…by setting up a stall somewhere in the city and selling or even sometimes going door to door.’

Hikaru couldn’t believe his ears.

‘Cut the crap, I know you must be using some underhanded method to get this much sale. It couldn’t be that you’re just buying them yourself, you do have the money to do so.’

Ironically, Hikaru was using an underhanded method.

Creating and selling more flavors than the company had made was not allowed since the company didn’t make them, so the person was selling his own product using the company’s name.

Also, if he sells them, then it would be a hassle for the company as the customer would demand flavors other than the company had created, causing confusion and forcing them to spend money to recreate those flavors but Who Cares?

‘Wait, you can do that? Then that makes things a whole lot easier, maybe I’ll buy 15 cartons of chocolates from myself.’

‘Of course, you can’t do that.’’

‘Then why did you say I’m doing it if it’s not allowed.’

Alex pretended like an innocent boy on his first day of school. Having no reply, Hikaru did what the first thing came into his mind.

’Just SHUT UP!! I challenge you to a showdown today at a mall. I’ll beat you there and then finally take Asuna to the co-’

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Hikaru realized he had said too much and instantly covered his mouth with his hands.

‘Did you just say Asuna?’

Hikaru rapidly denied.

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘You did. Come to think of it, she actually likes the band performing in the concert, maybe I’ll take her there.’

Hikaru retorted.

‘No, you will not, because I am going to win the tickets and take her there.’

Hikaru was fired up.

‘So… when did it become about Asuna?’

‘Since the beg-’

Hikaru again covered his mouth. Alex completed his sentence.

‘Since the beginning?’

‘No, it was always a competition of who’s the smartest.’

Hikaru said it while averting his eyes.

‘Oh, really?’

Alex had that “I know you’re lying dude” look on his face, and Hikaru was still averting his eyes.

‘J-Just show up at the mall on the west side of the city.’

Hikaru ran away.

They both then showed up at the mall where neither of them had ever sold chocolates. They both decided to set their stall on the ground floor.

Alex set up his stall on one corner while Hikaru set up his on the furthest corner from Alex’s.

It took 5 minutes for Alex to set up his booth while it took Hikaru 30 minutes to set up his.

Alex’s stall was extremely simple. A single table covered with a white sheet of cloth and two simple charts which said chocolate.

But Hikaru pulled out all the stops on his stall. It consisted of two large tables joined together with exquisite designs with many colorful charts and signs.

One sign would say chocolates, while one would have some nutritional facts about chocolates. There was even a large banner at the top, which he had set up using two poles.

Honestly, with the money he spent on his stalls, advertisement, synthesizing the chocolates, and creating new wrappers, he could have easily bought four tickets to the concert all in matt black special-edition without all the hassle. *Some genius he is.*

His stall was eye-catching, that’s for sure. Hikaru was out of breath even before he started selling chocolates just buy setting up the stall.

The competition began.

School had ended, so there were many students from other schools there. Many people were there for a lunch break too. The mall was crowded at that time, the ideal place to sell a good amount of any product.

Alex and Hikaru had each brought 6 cartons of chocolates. As the competition started, as expected, Hikaru’s stall was getting more people.

It was going according to Hikaru’s plan. More variety means more people, more people means more sale, and more sales mean victory.

Two hours had passed, and things were looking suitable for Hikaru.

Out of curiosity, he grabbed a pair of binoculars to see how Alex was doing. To his astonishment, Alex had already sold two cartons of chocolates while Hikaru had only sold one.

‘How?’

Alex was busy dealing with the few customers he had.

--I almost feel sorry for Hikaru for trying this hard. His plan was going too well, but he overlooked one crucial psychological fact. If this was a competition of attraction, he had won the moment he set up his stall, but this is a competition of sales.

Hikaru was carefully looking at Alex. Alex saw him and casually waved at him.

--He forgot one main thing. People 'hate' being wrong. He had created a lot of flavors, creating a lot of choices, with more choices people get confused and from fear of choosing wrong, they don’t choose at all. The outcome was decided long before we even set up our stalls.

Hikaru finally caught on, on what was happening. Even though a lot of people were coming to him, they were not actually buying anything. Meanwhile, even if there were fewer people at Alex’s stall, they all both something.

Alex calmly signaled a potential customer.

‘Excuse me, could I interest you in trying some chocolates? There are four flavors, and each of them is really good.’

‘Hmm… sure I’ll take two bars’

’Of course, here you go. Thank you.

Meanwhile, on Hikaru’s table, the situation was terrible.

‘Have you decided which one to buy?’

‘’Umm… I don’t know, there are a lot of choices’

Hikaru overheard the conversation of a customer and her colleagues at his stall, the customer was thinking but finally said,

‘Maybe I’ll buy some later.’

The customer, along with her friends, went away as Hikaru called out to them.

‘Wait, please come back, there aren’t a lot of choices. I’ll even help you choose.’

In the end, Alex had sold 4 of his cartons while Hikaru only managed 2.

The competition was over, and Alex was beginning to pack up, just then an intriguing customer showed up

‘Excuse me, I would like to buy some chocolate.’

Alex was almost done packing but politely replied,

‘Yes, of course, which one would you like to buy?’

Alex turned around to face the customer.

‘I would like to buy a whole carton, could you please deliver it here tomorrow morning?’

The customer took out his phone and displayed the location.

‘Of course, anything else?’

‘Yes, please come prepared.’

‘Don’t worry, I will.’

Alex assured the customer.