In "After Dark" by Haruki Murakami, a bartender reflects on the unique experience of time during the night. He emphasizes the way that nighttime has its own rhythm, one that feels different from the daytime hustle. This perspective suggests a certain inevitability about the passage of time as it unfolds in the quiet hours.

The bartender's insight captures a sense of acceptance regarding this nocturnal flow, as if resisting it is futile. This idea resonates with the themes of the novel, where night reveals truths and transforms the mundane into something more profound. In the stillness of night, the world takes on a different character, making time feel both fluid and significant.