Back at the company, Yoichi was practically pulling his hair out, staring at a blank proposal document.
Manager Yamada's request for "innovation" sounded simple—
But in reality, it felt impossible.
He flipped through industry reports, racking his brain, but all he could come up with were outdated ideas like "buy one get one free" or "discount bundles."
"Yoichi-kun, stuck?"
Hiroshi walked by, holding a cup of instant coffee. Seeing Yoichi's troubled face, he leaned over.
"You can't rush this kind of thing. Why not ask Shin-chan? That kid's brain works differently—you might get something unexpected."
Yoichi paused.
Then—
His eyes lit up.
Right.
The Kasukabe Defense Force had solved way bigger "crises" before.
If they could take on something like the Adult Empire—
What was a beverage promotion plan?
That afternoon, Yoichi left work early and went to pick up Shin-chan from kindergarten.
He also invited the other members of the Kasukabe Defense Force to the Nohara house.
Soon, the living room was filled with five kids.
Yoichi set out juice and snacks like a proper meeting host, cleared his throat, and began:
"Members of the Defense Force, I need your help."
He held up a sample drink.
"I need to create a promotion plan for this. Something that will make people want to buy it. Any ideas?"
"Promotion plan?" Kazama immediately pushed up imaginary glasses, switching into "serious mode.""First, we need market research—like what flavors people prefer, and cost analysis! I learned about 'marketing' in cram school!"
Before Yoichi could respond—
Bang!
Nene slapped the table, eyes sparkling.
"I've got it! We'll play house—but super realistic! A 'drink shop owner vs picky customer' drama! I'll write the script, Masao can cry for the drink, and Kazama can be the stingy dad!"
Masao's face instantly crumpled.
"I… I don't want to cry…"
"Bo-chan."
The quietest one suddenly spoke, holding up a stone.
"Put stones on bottles. Pretty."
Yoichi: "…"
Unexpected.
But oddly creative.
Just then—
Shin-chan suddenly grabbed the drink bottle.
He struck an Action Kamen pose.
"Action Beverage! Drink it and transform!"
Then—
"Butt Power—launch!"
He started wiggling his butt.
Yoichi facepalmed.
But—
"Wait!"
Kazama suddenly clapped.
"Shin-chan just gave us the idea!"
Everyone turned.
"Kids love transformation and heroes! We can turn the drink into part of a 'mission' system!"
That single idea—
Unlocked everything.
Nene immediately modified her "script" into a Defense Force mission theme.
Masao quietly suggested adding collectible cards inside the bottle caps—because he always bought snacks just to collect rare ones.
Bo-chan added that different stone patterns could be used as card designs to increase value.
Yoichi's eyes widened.
The ideas sounded childish—
But they were perfect.
They matched exactly what people in Kasukabe loved—
Cute.
Fun.
Heartwarming.
He quickly grabbed a notebook and started writing everything down.
The next morning, Yoichi finalized a brand-new proposal:
"Kasukabe Defense Force Energy Combo"
Each drink comes with a collectible card A full set of five—each featuring a Defense Force member A "Mission Station" at the supermarket entrance Kids can earn a free drink by declaring a "small hero goal" (like helping parents or sharing toys) Pre-surveyed flavor combos (peach + cola) based on Kazama's suggestion
When he presented the proposal—
Yamada sat up straight by the second page.
And when he saw the card designs—
He smiled.
"My son told me yesterday he wants Defense Force merchandise," he said. "This is perfect. It attracts kids—and makes parents willing to buy."
Even more surprising—
Yamada's son turned out to be a huge fan.
The moment he saw the card designs—
He grabbed his father's leg.
"I want it! I want it!"
Yamada made the decision on the spot.
"Approved. We launch next week."
On launch day—
The supermarket entrance was packed.
Children everywhere.
The Defense Force stood proudly at the front.
Kazama explained the rules like a professional.
Nene managed the crowd.
Masao handled drink distribution (while nervously trying not to cry).
Bo-chan displayed his stone collection.
And Shin-chan—
Performed a ridiculous "Action Kamen drinks energy beverage" skit that had everyone laughing.
Inside the store—
Drinks were flying off the shelves.
Yoichi finally let out a long breath.
Success.
He took out a stack of limited-edition cards and handed them to the five kids.
"Thank you, heroes of the Defense Force."
Kazama puffed out his chest proudly.
"Just doing our duty!"
Shin-chan leaned closer, peeking into Yoichi's pocket.
"Uncle Yoichi, thanks for the cards…"
Then he grinned.
"But what about the barbecue? You promised!"
Yoichi: "…"
He looked at the noisy group of kids in front of him—
Then at Hiroshi, smiling proudly from a distance.
And suddenly—
He understood something.
The most interesting part of this job…
Was never just completing the task.
It was the warmth.
The chaos.
The unexpected little moments hidden in everyday life.
Yoichi smiled.
"Alright," he said. "Barbecue it is."