Sakura worked at a night market. She sold fresh fruit juice at a small stall. Every week, there was a big meeting for all the stall owners. The meeting was always very long. It started at ten o'clock at night. Sakura was always tired by that time. She stood all day and made juice for many customers. Her legs were sore and her eyes were heavy. Tonight, the meeting was about new rules for the market. The market manager, Mr. Leon, talked very slowly. Sakura sat on a plastic chair and tried to listen. The warm air made her feel sleepy. She closed her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them quickly. She did not want anyone to see her sleeping.

She sat up straight and looked at Mr. Leon. Mr. Leon talked about prices and rubbish collection. He showed a long list on a big piece of paper. Sakura yawned quietly behind her hand. The woman next to her whispered, "Are you okay?" Sakura nodded and said, "Yes, I am just a little tired." She pinched her arm to stay awake. She looked around the room. Other people looked sleepy too. A man in the corner had his eyes closed. Sakura smiled a little. She was not the only tired person here. She drank some water from her bottle. The cold water helped a little. Mr. Leon was still talking.

He moved to a new topic about parking spaces. Sakura took a deep breath and tried to focus. After a long time, Mr. Leon finally said, "Does anyone have questions?" Nobody raised a hand. Everyone wanted to go home. "Good, then the meeting is finished," he said. Sakura stood up quickly. Her friend Tomas walked over to her. "That was so long," he said. Sakura laughed and said, "I almost fell asleep three times." Tomas said, "Me too. I need some coffee." They walked together to a coffee stall that was still open. Sakura ordered a small cup of coffee. She felt happy the meeting was over. She drank her coffee and enjoyed the cool night air. "Same time next week," Tomas said with a tired smile. Sakura groaned and said, "Please, do not remind me." They both laughed and said goodnight.

Sakura had been running her juice stall at the night market for nearly two years, and she genuinely enjoyed the work. The colorful lights, the buzz of conversation, and the steady flow of customers kept her energized most evenings. However, there was one thing she absolutely dreaded: the monthly stall owners' meeting. These gatherings, led by the market coordinator Mr. Leon, had a reputation for dragging on well past midnight. Tonight was no exception. By the time Mr. Leon had finished greeting everyone and begun reading from his thick stack of printed notes, Sakura could already feel her eyelids growing heavy. She had been on her feet since the early afternoon, preparing fresh ingredients, serving customers, and restocking her supplies.

Now, sitting on a wobbly plastic chair under a dim fluorescent light, she was fighting the strongest urge to simply close her eyes and drift off. Mr. Leon's voice had taken on a monotonous rhythm as he discussed new waste disposal guidelines and updated stall rental procedures. Sakura noticed she had been staring blankly at a crack in the wall for the past several minutes, absorbing absolutely nothing. She forced herself to sit upright and pretended to take notes on her phone, although she was really just tapping random letters. The woman beside her, a friendly baker named Rina, leaned over and muttered, "If he mentions parking regulations again, I might actually fall off my chair." Sakura had to press her lips together tightly to stop herself from laughing out loud. She glanced around and realized that at least half the room was in a similar state of exhaustion. One man near the back had given up entirely and was resting his chin on his chest, breathing deeply and steadily. Just when Sakura was convinced the meeting would stretch on until sunrise, Mr.

Leon cleared his throat and asked whether anyone had further questions or concerns. A blissful silence filled the room as nobody dared to speak and risk extending the ordeal. "Very well, I will see you all next month," Mr. Leon announced, looking rather pleased with himself. Sakura practically leapt out of her chair and headed toward the exit, where her friend Tomas was already waiting with two steaming cups of coffee he had grabbed from a nearby stall. "You are an absolute lifesaver," she said gratefully, wrapping her hands around the warm cup. Tomas grinned and replied, "I figured we would both need something strong after surviving that." They strolled through the quieter end of the market, sipping their drinks and enjoying the relief of freedom. "Same time next month," Tomas reminded her, and Sakura let out a dramatic groan that echoed through the nearly empty walkway.