"I met him by chance, of course. We were put in the same military unit and that's how it started."
Sakuma and Jitsui sat together in a nearby bar, the relaxed atmosphere filled with chatter and clinking glasses. Sakuma usually went alone to unwind after a day of work, but Jitsui had offered to tag along as a conversation buddy for the night.
After a few drinks, the topic of Gamou came up and Sakuma was all too happy to start it off with a story. Sakuma took a sip of his beer. "I've always admired him for his hard work and dedication to his job."
Jitsui can't help but nod in agreement, because no one could say that Gamou wasn't at least admired for his diligent personality and care for his profession. Even if he was bad at it by their standards.
Sakuma continued. "We really hit it off one night at a bar like this one. Man, that guy could crack a joke!" He chuckled and slapped his hand on his knee before he lifted his glass to signal the bartender for a refill. "He was a little odd though. He sometimes left early with a new friend every week and usually showed up to morning drills with these marks all over him." Sakuma tapped his finger against the side of his head in thought. "I think he did it on purpose so he could get in extra work in the morning. I always thought that, but lately I've realized that he really enjoyed being punished."
Jitsui spit out his drink.