... is that really mature? [ A curious tilt of the head as he asks that. ] It's just that we were always trained for deployment, so we knew what to expect. That's just how we were conditioned. And I don't think it's a bad thing, missing people? Especially if you spent a lot of time with them, and especially when it feels like the holidays and all.

[ Would talking about them ease the pain of missing them? He hopes it doesn't just make things worse. ]

Um, what's your friend like? Are they also in the industry? An idol? Or just a friend? You must have been pretty close?