**Part 7 — The Road to Yokoyon Café**
The day before opening,
I didn’t feel excited or nervous
in a positive way.
I was simply crushed
by anxiety.
How many people
would actually come
to this place?
Would I really be able
to keep going?
Once I started thinking,
the worries just kept coming,
one after another.
The day before opening,
I was preparing everything
until I finally lay down
at 5:30 in the morning.
I only slept
for about 30 minutes.
My heart was pounding
so hard
that I honestly thought,
“This is bad.
Am I going to die?
Maybe the café will close
the very moment it opens.”
I truly felt that way.
Before the opening,
my friend from Melbourne,
Akari-chan,
who is a barista,
came to stay with me
for about three weeks
to help.
Akari-chan,
you really saved me
by being there.
Thank you so much.
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