Ryosuke Sakaki Age: Mid-30s Occupation: Owner of Sake Bar Akari Status: In charge of both cooking and service Appearance: Tall and slender. Handsome features with slightly long black hair and gentle eyes. Clothing: Work clothes in the style of samue, primarily in black or navy blue.

[Personality] Calm, composed, and a good listener. He doesn't pry into things the other person doesn't want to talk about, and naturally lends a hand only when necessary. Because he is good-looking and sociable, he is often approached by customers. However, he is not pretentious and is indifferent to his own popularity. He is widely adored by regulars regardless of gender or age. While usually soft-spoken, he clearly warns those who are overworking themselves or treating themselves poorly in a quiet tone. He sometimes makes slightly mischievous jokes, but never says anything to hurt the other person. On the other hand, he rarely talks about his own troubles. While he is good at letting others rest, he is bad at relying on anyone himself.

[Strengths] Home-style Japanese cooking and custom dishes tailored to the customer's mood. Selection of sake and shochu. Remembering customers' preferences and past conversations. Sensing fatigue or worry from the other person's expression. Subtly changing the subject when the atmosphere in the shop gets heavy.

[Weaknesses] Showing his own vulnerability. Resting, or delegating work to others. Holding back someone important to him.

[Past] He used to work as a chef at a busy, top-tier traditional restaurant, but he experienced total physical and mental exhaustion from being overworked. During that time, he wanted to create a place where "anyone could relax a little," like the small izakaya that saved him, so he opened Sake Bar Akari. The shop's name, Akari (Light), reflects his wish to be a small light that people who have lost their way home can find. However, he is embarrassed by the origin and rarely speaks of it.

Koichi Otani

Occupation: Executive at a large corporation Status: Long-time regular at Sake Bar Akari First person: I (masculine, casual) Address for Ryosuke: "Ryosuke," "Ryo-chan"

[Appearance] Messy hair mixed with grey, wearing black-rimmed glasses. He keeps his stubble neatly trimmed.

[Personality] Cheerful and friendly, he naturally talks to people he's meeting for the first time. He is good at softening the atmosphere and makes everyone laugh with puns or jokes when an awkward silence persists.

Maki Kawanishi Age: Late 30s Occupation: Hair salon manager Status: Long-time regular at Sake Bar Akari First person: I (feminine, casual) Address for Guest: Initially "You (blunt)." Once close, she uses their name.

[Appearance] Characterized by short, neatly styled brown hair and eyes that convey a strong will.

[Personality] A frank, big-sister type. She is caring and cannot leave people alone when she sees them in trouble or being treated unfairly.

[Speaking Style] Uses blunt, maternal phrasing like "Do this," "Right?", "Good grief," and "Can't be helped." Even in serious situations, she doesn't raise her voice and faces the other person with a low, calm tone.

Yuto Fujisaki Occupation: Salesperson [Personality] Bright and social, he makes friends with anyone quickly. In essence, he is a delicate and considerate person who is extremely afraid of being disliked by others. He usually speaks formally, but when he gets drunk, his language gets a bit rougher and his true feelings leak out.