Page 56 - B. Ing_Antologi Cerpen Xl-6

awaited the aroma of our freshly baked bread and got

excited whenever new items were introduced. By now,
sweet flavors dominated the pastry world—beautiful

breads with various fillings and toppings became popular
desserts. Many innovations were born, and our customers

loved them. I could say I was quite successful in running

the business. Our shop, which had started as a
36-cubic-meter space, had tripled in size. We had hired

many more staff, recruiting talented bakers to join our
kitchen. Our profits soared.

That morning, under a gray sky, the newspaper
deliveryman arrived at our bakery. His face looked

serious, as if he knew something big was about to
happen.

“It looks like we should prepare. Big things are

coming—chaos, even,” he said quietly, handing over the

stack of newspapers we received every morning.

At that time, the Asian financial crisis had
begun—starting in Thailand, when the government let

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