COTTON CANDY VENDING MACHINE
Recently, Japan has been facing the issue of demographic aging, where the elderly population is increasing compared to the younger population. To make matters worse, young people are reluctant to get married for various reasons such as the high cost of living and the stereotype of parents in Japan seeking financially stable partners for their daughters. This has reached its worst point.
In response, the Japanese government has conducted research to understand why elderly individuals have pessimistic and outdated views about their children's future. Years of study have revealed that their mindset is influenced by their difficult past experiences. The struggle to earn a living has made it difficult for them to enjoy life, even simple pleasures like their favorite foods. Other factors include the need to reform the hierarchical culture within companies, which hampers their growth.
The government has come up with two solutions: reducing the population or improving welfare. The first option is deemed less rational as it could negatively impact Japan's international image. Hence, the second option becomes the only viable choice.
One of the implementations of the second option is the creation of a low-sugar cotton candy vending machine franchise. These vending machines offer low-sugar cotton candy at the same price as regular vending machines. However, individuals other than the elderly are only allowed to purchase it once per day, and the machine requires the use of a health card for authentication, minimizing fraud. The vending machines are strategically placed in rural areas, secluded locations, or hospitals with enhanced security measures.
The government's efforts in creating these low-sugar cotton candy vending machines are aimed at gradually changing the elderly's perception of Japan's modernization. Research suggests that the sweet taste can help reduce their stress hormones, resulting in improved mental and physical health.
Unfortunately, this brilliant discovery comes with a hint of irony. After a month of widespread deployment throughout Japan, there has been an increase in daily elderly deaths, with one person per day. This ongoing phenomenon has led to rumors in the media referring to it as "The Vending Machine Curse."
Due to these rumors, many millennial teenagers have turned it into a TikTok challenge.
For instance, Miki and her four friends from a prestigious private university in Tokyo, all communication science students, decided to visit Kamakura Village in Kanagawa Prefecture to search for the low-sugar cotton candy vending machine. Miki, being the center of attention, and Chika, her comedic sidekick, were accompanied by two male classmates who carried the camera.
Miki appeared as a wealthy young lady, while Chika played the role of her loyal butler. Chika, of course, carried a panda-themed bag that matched her maid outfit.
After two days of planning and making reservations, they embarked on their journey to Kamakura Village. The village, located by the sea, was known for its numerous Shinto and Buddhist temples and breathtaking landscapes. They arrived at a temple where they encountered the low-sugar cotton candy vending machine.
Miki inserted her health card into a slim box that read, "Please place your health card here."
#Clink!
The coin smoothly went in, though Miki's feelings weren't as smooth as the coin entering the slot.
"Behold, our amazing Miss Miki! She's going to 'gacha' her life, audience! Well... we might have trouble finding a replacement for her!" Chika joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere. Their TikTok content was a mix of horror and balanced comedy.
"Hush, that's not helping at all! Instead, since we're in a temple, pray for me, Chika!" Miki playfully commanded her servant, Chika. They continued bantering.
"Ehhhh? Should I pray for it to happen, my dear Miss Miki?"
"Chikaaaaa!"
They kept joking until the machine was ready with its product. Miki ordered cotton candy with a durian flavor. There were no options for different shapes, but what surprised Miki was that the cotton candy resembled broccoli rather than the typical cotton candy.
"What's this? It's a bit lumpy, isn't it, Miss? But as Uncle Orange says, 'Eat first, ask later! That's the only fair way to enjoy a snack!'" Chika commented while holding the lumpy cotton candy. Its texture was indeed lumpy.
"You always say that whenever what I eat turns out to be problematic, Chikaaa!"
"Ehhh? It's part of the script, Miss, isn't it?"
"Chikaaaa! That's not helping! Don't talk about the script, you sweetiepie!"
Their banter continued until Miki prepared herself, opened her mouth, and took a bite.
Miki's face lit up, indicating that her taste buds were experiencing something different.
First bite, second bite, and then the third bite...
"Oishi desu ka, Miki-sama? (Is it delicious, Miki milady?)"
"Wow, it's so good! REALLY GOOD-"
Afterward, Miki choked and coughed. Fortunately, Chika quickly reached for her bag and gave Miki something to drink. The issue was resolved.
"Miss, I didn't realize you were getting old. You just swallowed it despite coughing, ahahaha!"
"Chikaaaa! I'm not old! It's just... well, it's a bit lumpy. Plus, when you eat it, there's some powdered sugar that seems unformed, unlike cotton candy!"
"That's our Miss Miki, always looking perfect in your eyes, audience! See you later!" Chika concluded, still teasing Miki.
"Chikaaaa! That's not helping!" Miki added towards the camera. "Hey, turn off the camera! Hey, editor! Don't forget to cut the part where I cough!" Miki broke character.
Ultimately, their experiment didn't yield any significant results, and they temporarily stopped creating content. However, each of them privately purchased a serving of cotton candy and admitted that it wasn't overly sweet and tasted more natural than the regular version.
As a result, the controversy surrounding the low-sugar cotton candy vending machines continued. Paradoxically, the more young people used the low-sugar cotton candy vending machines, the higher the number of elderly deaths.
After a year of implementation, the number of elderly deaths rose dramatically to 1,000 at the year's end. The Japanese government claimed they would address the issue. Strangely, there were no efforts to recall or ban the low-sugar cotton candy vending machines.
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