[January ninth]

//Play God Day//

"You should really stop smoking, desu."

"Why the hell are you here, kid?" inquired Akutsu Jin.

"Because I care about you, desu," answered Dan Taichi, honestly. Despite the fact that it had been a year, he was still short and lean, and could still easily pass as someone a few years younger, and Akutsu had not felt any need to change the nickname he had assigned to him.

"Seriously, kid. Why're you here?"

"Because I care about you, desu," repeated Dan. "And because it'd Play God Day, desu."

"… 'Play God Day?'"

"Hai. Play God Day is the day where you try to do something extra nice and good for someone else." Then, Dan turned somewhat serious and said to Akutsu, "You should participate in Play God Day and do something good for yourself by stopping smoking."

Akutsu observed the kid for a moment, then stamped out his cigarette and ruffled the younger boy's hair.

"All right kid," he answered. "I'll try."