Invited by a senior coworker, the izakaya I visited for the first time gradually became my regular haunt. The reason? I couldn't help but be drawn to Sae, the cheerful and ever-smiling staff member. She was meticulous in her work, elegant in appearance, and possessed a model-like presence. Every time I saw her, I felt something inside me tremble. Each encounter left me secretly wishing she might take an interest in me. Holding onto that quiet longing, I found myself heading back to the izakaya once again today.