It's got to be bubblegum, right?

You grab a pack of strawberry flavored gum and put it down in front of her. The answer has to be bubblegum, right? It's in her name, for pete's sake.

The girl smiles softly and picks out a stick with two fingers, then holds it upright. "He he, a smart choice. That does make sense, doesn't it? Now, the trick is how we use this little stick of gum to lure people in," she explains to you. "That's where you come in, my cute assistant. All I need you to do is go stand in the doorway and look in my direction."

Feeling confused, you ask: does she need you to say anything? Maybe you're supposed to point or shout, wow, that clown's really going to town on her gum?

Bubblegum shakes her head, causing the curtain of straight, pink hair to swish back and forth. "No, nothing like that. You just stand there and watch intently," she requests, giving a reassuring and patient smile.

You nod, then step out from behind the counter, returning to the entrance you just came through a few moments earlier. There's a bit of foot-traffic, but they do seem to be mostly sailing straight by the candy shop. Will you really be able to draw anybody in just by watching her from a spot like this?

The Clown Candy sales-clown gives a sly smile, then sticks the gum into her mouth.

... Did you miss something? It feels like a step was distinctly skipped over just now. She didn't unwrap the gum at all, did she? It was still in the silver paper when it disappeared behind her pretty pink lips.

The girl seems to respond to your question, rolling the gum in her mouth in a way that extends her cheeks to the left and right, making her look a bit silly and disrupting her usual prim and proper expression. When she's satisfied, she opens her mouth extremely wide, holding out both hands beneath her chin. Out from her mouth falls the silver wrapper, not just removed from the gum, but somehow, folded into a perfect square. She discretely throws the paper into the trash behind the desk before continuing, watching you with sparkling eyes as she holds her hands beneath her chin and chews the gum with a satisfying smack, smack, smack. Some people might hate this noise-- others might call it ASMR. Whatever the case, as you watch, you're thinking of something else entirely.

The way she's keeping her shining eyes locked on you and allowing saliva to escape from her painted pink lips, slightly running the paint with the white of the rest of her makeup, is evocative of something else entirely.

Two of her fingers poke up and into her pursed lips, which she sucks noisily before pulling the gum out in a long string, then sucking it back up. She repeats the motion, this time letting her lips extend up the length of her fingers, to the knuckles, with a wet slurp.

...

All she's doing is chewing gum...

But you can't take your eyes off of it! The mesmerism of that simple action is unreal! You want to stick your own fingers-- or other parts-- in there and let her suck them. It's as though her mouth sounds are magnified through the otherwise silent store-front.

Before you know it, a crowd of other like-minded gentleman have surrounded the storefront. They're all watching the show.

That's all you had to do: stand there and gawk! With just that, the foot-traffic has gone through the roof.

Bubblegum takes her namesake into the back of her jaw, then grins cheerfully. "He he he. Now come, help me with the register, Bowie! We're about to make some sales." With her encouragement, you scamper back in and take your place next to her, trying to focus on the customers for a bit instead of the erotic clown next to you.

The business plan seems to work: the two of you end up making a pretty good haul! You even get to keep a little cut yourself.

((Gained 10 wealth))