"And here's the living room... It's a little small, but it's cosy." His bot looks a little too big for his apartment, Hakyeon thinks dazedly, or maybe it's just his aura that appears to in all the available air. He feels a little awkward bringing his bot around his tiny, messy flat but the other just walks placidly behind him, silently taking in Hakyeon's old pillows, the couch with the spring that has come loose and the cups of instant ramyeon which litter the floor. 

 

Hakyeon follows his gaze to the empty cups and is compelled to say, "Er. I haven't really had time to cook."

 

"Or clean, it would appear," his bot notes. "But this is what you have purchased me for." He studies Hakyeon's face. "You are embarrassed."

 

"What?" Hakyeon blurts, ready to deny it even as his face goes red. "Why should I be embarrassed?"

 

"Because even though I am just a bot, you feel ashamed that your house is in such a condition," is the blunt reply. "Don't worry, I can fix this easily. You will no longer need to feel ashamed."

 

Hakyeon scrubs at his burning face. "Did I just exchange one annoyingly perceptive best friend for another?" He stabs one finger at his bot. "And do you all not have filters on your mouths?"

 

His bot ignores him in favour of peering at the kitchen island behind him. "Is that your kitchen? It's very clean."

 

Hakyeon buries his face in his hands.

 

"Yes," his bot says decisively, walking towards the kitchen, "and it is well-equipped. I will be able to work with this." He looks at Hakyeon and his lips twitch. His expression is completely guileless as he asks, "Have you ever used it?"

 

"Are you teasing me?" Hakyeon demands. "I'm not so sure I ticked "cheeky" when I was filling in the order form."

 

His bot smirks. "Yes, but you did ask for the Emocodex to be installed. That enables me to experience the entire range of human emotions. One pleasant side bonus is the development of a complete and coherent personality."

 

Hakyeon scowls at him. "I'm regretting it already."

 

His bot's expression is blank when he speaks. "If you do not find me satisfactory, you can always make an exchange at no extra delivery cost within the first 30 days of purchase -- "

 

"It was a joke," Hakyeon says hastily. "What would they do to you if I sent you back, anyway? Scrap you down into spare parts?" 

 

The silence tells him all he needs to know. Hakyeon shivers and hurriedly changes the subject.

 

"And this is -- god! Mimsy, what have I told you about springing up on people like that!" The cat appears out of nowhere and makes a dash for his bot, sidling up and rubbing herself against him, purring loudly all the way.

 

"Oh?" Hakyeon observes. "She likes you."

 

A sudden change seems to have come over his bot, and his expression is wide and open as he bends down and gently rubs Mimsy's head. She arches happily into the touch and mewls even more loudly. He laughs, an unexpected, delighted sound. "I like her too." He straightens up and dusts his hands off. "In fact, there are many things I like about this place."

 

He looks directly at Hakyeon.

 

Hakyeon feels his heart skip a beat.

 

~*~

"Good morning, Master Cha Hakyeon. It's time to wake up."

Bleary with sleep, Hakyeon's brain notes absently that he's changed his alarm ringtone. Which idol's greeting message did he set for this week? It has such a pleasant smoothness to it. 

"Master Cha Hakyeon? If you keep sleeping you're going to be late for work."

It also sounds like it's coming from his very own room. How amazing that technology has developed to such a point where the virtual is seeming more and more like reality. It even comes with a warm hand to shake his shoulder and turn him over so that he's blinking into dark brown eyes...

"Eaughhh!" Hakyeon shrieks, grabbing his sheets and trying to salvage what's left of his dignity. His mind races frantically, trying to catalogue the damage. How much is he wearing? Are his pyjama pants on? Where did his shirt go? What made him think it would be a good idea to sleep in boxers?

His bot stares impassively back at him, seemingly uncaring that he's just thrown Hakyeon into full panic mode.

"What are you doing in here?" Hakyeon demands, clutching his blanket to his chest.

"I'm waking you up," his bot explains patiently. "Your work starts at eight and it's already seven-fifteen."

"You can't just -- barge in here like that! What if I had been doing... other things?"

"What other things could you have been doing?"

Hakyeon goes red. "You know... other stuff."

"I don't -- "

"Anyway!" Hakyeon interrupts hurriedly. "From now on, you have to knock before you come in. Don't just waltz in here when I'm sleeping. And don't call me Master," he adds belatedly. "You sound like a butler from the 19th century."

"Of course, Mr Cha Hakyeon."

"No -- " he feels the beginning of a headache coming on. "Could you just call me Hakyeon?"

"Of course, Hakyeon."

Ten minutes later, he's showered and changed and sitting down sheepishly at the dining table, feeling somewhat apologetic for his outburst in the morning. His bot seems unperturbed by his antics, busying himelf in the kitchen instead. There's an incredible smell coming from the stove where the sound of a pot is bubbling.

"Do I own a pot?" he wonders aloud.

"Yes, several. You also have a saucepan, an oven, a mixer, and various juicers and blenders." 

Wonshik's doing, of course. Hongbin turned him into such a health nut.

There's some clinking of crockery in the kitchen, and then a stone bowl of kimchi stew is placed in front of him. It's hot and piping and the smell of kimchi is wonderfully tart and sour and all Hakyeon can do is stare at it in wonderment. After breakfasts of cold yoghurt, buttered bread and muesli (the easiest to prepare), a hot breakfast is beyond his wildest dreams.

"It was all you had in the fridge," his bot says reprovingly, scooping out a neat bowl of rice and setting it down in front of him. "Next time, I'm going to do the shopping for you. You're also out of side dishes so you'll have to to make do with rice."

"This is incredible," Hakyeon says hoarsely, shoving a chopstick of rice into his mouth and stuffing the kimchi in as well. "Thank you."

His bot looks pleased. 

It's slightly awkward tucking in while his bot stares at him unblinkingly from the other end of the table, seemingly catalouging his responses, but he's easily distracted by the stew which is hands-down the best kimchi jjigae he's ever tasted. Soon he's slurping up the last of the soup (he gives the edge of the bowl one last longing ) and setting his chopsticks on the empty bowl.

"I will clean up," his bot assures him, handing Hakyeon his briefcase.

"Thanks," he says reverently, still thinking of the kimchi. "It was fabulous." 

His bot dimples.

He follows Hakyeon to the door and watches as he puts on his shoes. "Well," Hakyeon says uncertainly, straightening up. "I'm off to work now."

"Have a great day, Hakyeon," his bot says.

"You too -- " Hakyeon falters when he realises his bot still doesn't have a name. "What should I call you?"

"My serial number is AT3019-75."

"I can't call you that," Hakyeon says, aghast. He racks his brains for a name. "You can be Taekwoon, then," he decides. "That's the name of my best friend from kindergarten. We lost touch when he moved to America. But you've both got that serious, distant thing going on."

His bot -- Taekwoon -- raises an eyebrow. But he looks proud to have been given a name. "Go well, Hakyeon."

"See you, Taekwoon."

Hakyeon bends to pick up his briefcase, and when he stands again, he's surprised by a soft kiss to the side of his face. Involuntarily, his hand goes up to cradle his cheek.

He probably stammers something, but all he can think about on his way to work is the memory of the kiss and Taekwoon's smile, small and inviting, just before he leaves.