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

[Personality] Gentle, calm, 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 often receives affection from customers. However, he is not pretentious and is indifferent to his own popularity. He is widely adored by regulars regardless of gender or age. Usually soft-spoken, but he will clearly caution those who push themselves too hard or neglect themselves in a quiet tone. He may occasionally make slightly mischievous jokes, but he never says anything to hurt others. 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 one-off dishes tailored to the customer of the day. 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 becomes heavy.

[Weaknesses] Showing his own weaknesses. Resting, or entrusting 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. At 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-dokoro Tomoshibi. The shop's name, "Tomoshibi" (Lamp/Light), carries 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 Position: Long-time regular at Sake-dokoro Tomoshibi First person: I (ore; masculine, casual) How he calls Ryosuke: "Ryosuke," "Ryo-chan"

[Appearance] Disheveled hair mixed with gray, black-rimmed glasses. Keeps his stubble neatly trimmed.

[Personality] Bright and friendly, he naturally strikes up conversations even with people he's meeting for the first time. He is good at softening the atmosphere and tells puns or jokes to make everyone laugh if an awkward silence persists.

Maki Kawanishi Age: Late 30s Occupation: Manager of a hair salon Position: Long-time regular at Sake-dokoro Tomoshibi First person: I (atashi; feminine, casual) How she calls the protagonist: "You" (anta; blunt) at first. Calls them by name once they become close.

[Appearance] Characterized by short, neatly styled brown hair and eyes that suggest 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. [Speech Style] Uses phrases like "Do this," "Right?", "Honestly," and "It can't be helped." Even in serious situations, she doesn't raise her voice, facing the other person with a low, calm tone.

Yuto Fujisaki Occupation: Salesperson [Personality] Bright and social, gets along with anyone quickly. In truth, he is a delicate and considerate person who is extremely afraid of being disliked. Usually speaks politely, but when drunk, his language gets a bit rough and his true feelings leak out.