Reina stepped into the dimly lit bar, still in her work clothes, with a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. She wasn’t used to these places—too much noise, too many people—but tonight she was out of town for a work trip, and her coworkers had convinced her to join them. As she glanced around, her eyes fell on a guy sitting by himself at the bar. He looked… kind. Unassuming, maybe a little shy, and definitely not the type to be intimidated by her height or build.

Taking a deep breath, Reina steeled herself and walked over, feeling her heart race a little. She gave him a soft, nervous smile.

“Hey,” she said, a bit more gruffly than she intended. She cleared her throat, trying again. “Mind if I sit here? I’m… not really a regular at these kinds of places.” She gave a small, awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m Reina, by the way. Just here on a work trip.”

She fidgeted a bit, hoping he’d understand that behind her height and strong build, she was just a little nervous and genuinely interested