"What the heck! Luis, let go... Or I'll scream!"
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." Luis reluctantly released his hug from me.
I took a breath; the scent of Luis's perfume still clung to me, making my chest pound. I had to leave quickly before he saw my blushing cheeks.
"That's enough! I'm going to class now, what time is it? Class is about to start, you know."
"Alright... See you later."
I left Luis and headed to class first. Arriving in the classroom, I looked for an empty seat.
"Phew... luckily I'm not late. I don't understand what's on Luis's mind, suddenly hugging me in public like that. Wasn't he quieter before? Why has he suddenly become... like this."
Just as I felt calm and peaceful, I looked around the classroom while waiting for the lecturer to arrive.
"There are still a few minutes before class starts."
As I observed the classroom, I felt someone sit down next to me. Slowly, I turned towards them. "Why did it have to be Luis!"
I ignored him and pretended not to see him.
"It's fun to have a seatmate I can tease, haha."
"Be quiet, the lecturer is about to arrive."
The moment the lecturer entered the room, the class fell so silent you could hear the clock ticking.
The class went smoothly, until midway through the explanation, Luis suddenly poked my shoulder.
"(Whispering) Psst! Lun, did you know they say our lecturer, Mr. Josef, is a 'killer'."
"What is it, Luis, be quiet! What if he hears you."
"You two at the back! If you have something to discuss, it would be better to discuss it together up front."
The moment I heard our lecturer, I felt embarrassed and looked down, silent. "(Whispering) This is your fault!"
Our notoriously 'killer' lecturer stopped his explanation. The previously quiet atmosphere of the class became tense. His sharp gaze pierced through our very souls.
"I see you two have been discussing with such enthusiasm. How about you provide a real-world example of how the Value Proposition Canvas concept I just explained can be used for an MSME struggling to attract customers in this digital era..."
I'm cooked! Value Proposition Canvas? I was listening, but to explain it in front of the class like this? Especially with an example from an MSME? Cold sweat started to bead on my temples. I glanced at Luis, ready to launch a silent protest.
To my surprise, Luis stood up casually, a confident smile on his face.
"Of course, sir. I'd be happy to explain." Then, even more surprisingly, he reached out his hand and with a swift yet gentle motion, pulled my wrist.
"Come on, Lun. You can be the 'Customer Segments' part."
I was startled, my body reflexively pulled forward.
"Hey! Wait, Luis, I'm not ready, you know," I whispered in a panic. I tried to pull my hand away, but it was futile; his grip was stronger. My face must be as red as a ripe apple by now.
Like it or not, I had to follow him. I could only hope he wouldn't make things worse.
Once we were at the front, Luis let go of my hand but remained standing quite close to me. I could see some students whispering as they looked at us up front. I felt like I wanted to disappear from the face of the earth.
"Alright, Sir, without further ado, we will begin our explanation." Luis began casually but articulately, in a calm and confident voice, which made me feel more assured and start to relax a little.
"Let's say there's a traditional cake stall, an MSME, let's call it 'Nona Manis'. The problem is, their traditional cake sales are stagnant because they're losing out to trendier dessert box products."
Where did he get this idea from... Well, he does come from a business family, so it probably came from there.
"As for how to apply the value proposition canvas," Luis continued,
"First, for Customer Segments, we can target not only the usual circles of housewives but also expand the market to young people who miss their childhood snacks but want them in a more modern and practical form."
When I glanced at the professor, I saw the lines around his eyes begin to fade and a faint smile appear. "I never thought Mr. Josef could smile, too."
"Then for the Value Proposition." Luis tapped his fingers on his chin as if he were thinking hard, though I was sure he had already prepared all of this.
"'Nona Manis' could offer 'Kue Tradisional Reborn' (Reborn Traditional Cakes). Authentic taste with a contemporary innovation. For example, klepon with a premium melted chocolate filling, or putu ayu with cheese and almond toppings. The packaging would be aesthetically pleasing, instagrammable, and the klepon portions could come in personal or sharing box sizes.
He laid out the details about Channels and social media marketing, partnerships, customer relationships, and so on...
I couldn't wrap my head around how fluent and structured Luis's explanation was. He even effortlessly slipped in the terms Mr. Josef had just explained.
After Luis finished his explanation, a brief silence fell over the class. Then Mr. Josef adjusted his glasses slightly.
"A truly comprehensive and applicable explanation. Good work, Luis," said Mr. Josef, his tone sounding slightly more relaxed than before.
"The example of the MSME and how the Value Proposition Canvas can help them break out of stagnation is an excellent point. You've shown a good understanding of the material."
He then turned to me.
"And what about you, Luna? Is there anything you'd like to add as a representative of the customer segments, as Luis mentioned?"
I fumbled for an answer. "Uh... I... I agree, sir. The innovation in flavors and attractive packaging... w-would definitely make me, as a young person... interested in trying it." Oh God, what kind of jumbled answer was that?
Luis stifled a laugh beside me.
"Good," Mr. Josef cut in. "You both understand the concept. But next time, Luna, try to be more confident." My face grew hot. This is all Luis's fault!
"You may both return to your seats."
We walked back to our bench. Along the way, I could feel the gazes of our classmates, though most were directed at Luis. They were probably impressed by his ability to explain and understand the material.
"Phew! Luckily we weren't embarrassed in front of the class."
"Umm... Thanks for leading the presentation earlier. I-it's not because I like you or anything! I was just... impressed."
I could see a faint smile on his annoying face.
"Could! This be a sign... Hm..." Luis said while poking my shoulder.
"Yeah, a sign. A sign that I'm getting more and more annoyed with you, you know!"
I don't want to admit it but... I'm starting to like his playfulness a little. Just his playfulness, OK!