“Do you think he’ll notice?” The last time Wonsik heard those words from Hongbin’s mouth, Leo had been given a mustache with permanent marker. When the STARLIGHT informed them he was machine-washable, they collectively established a truce regarding Leo’s autonomy. Or so he thought.

“Leo needs to get out of the apartment for once,” Hakyeon replied. “We’re only going to the supermarket, anyway. I’ve never seen Wonsik awake before ten.”

The supermarket? They wanted to take Leo not only out into public but the busiest possible place on a Saturday morning? Before Wonsik could climb out of bed, however, the front door clicked open and then just as quickly shut. He didn’t have time to check the clock, instead stumbling to his closet. In a rush of fabric, he stripped his pajamas off and tugged on the nearest combination of clean clothing before he scrambled out the door after them. With untied laces, he looked up and down the hallway and noticed one of his snapbacks on the head of someone near the exit.

Dammit, he needed to learn how to sleep a little lighter or install a lock on his door. Wonsik broke into a sprint to catch up, gaze fixed on the bright gold lettering that trailed across the brim of the hat. Just beneath it, he could see a black-and-white patterned scarf covering the backside of the wearer’s neck. Good. At least they thought to cover up Leo’s reset button and clearest identifier. With a breathless grunt, he reached them and grabbed Leo’s arm by the elbow.

It was then that Wonsik saw the Frankenstein style his roommates threw together from their own tastes. A white sweater emblazoned with a lion’s face that could only belong to Jaehwan was neatly framed by a black jacket with lapels well-pressed enough to be Hongbin’s. Hakyeon must have donated the skinny jeans and the scarf, Wonsik himself unwittingly his hat, and the workman boots Hyuk. The entire look was completed by the presence of Hakyeon hanging on Leo’s arm, though the STARLIGHT did not lean to that side despite the weight.

“Oh good morning, Wonsik,” Hakyeon greeted with a bright smile, a direct opposite to Leo’s silent blinking.

“What the hell are you doing taking him out of the apartment?” Wonsik hissed in response, trying to ignore just how well the ensemble accented Leo’s build. That should be illegal.

“Taking him grocery shopping,” Hongbin chimed in, his dimples evidence of his abetting. 

“We need his strong arms,” Hakyeon continued, tugging on Leo’s arm in demonstration. “Plus, he needs to see the outside world! He can’t stay cramped up forever.”

Wonsik would argue that yes, Leo could, considering he had only emerged from his box a matter of days ago, but then he noticed the STARLIGHT not moving at Hakyeon’s pulling. If Leo didn’t want to go, all he’d have to do is stand still and none of them could budge him, but they had gotten him this far and not by force.

“Do you want to go?” Wonsik asked after a beat of silence.

“We wouldn’t make him if he didn’t want to, hyung,” Hyuk replied, his expression firm and bright with the sincerity of youth.

Still, Wonsik didn’t look away from Leo, watching for any sign of compliance beside the silence. Leo blinked back at him before nodding.

“Yes, I want to go,” Leo responded quietly, though his shoulders cowed and his brow creased.

Wonsik didn’t know if the STARLIGHT meant that or if he was simply parroting again. Hell, more often than not that was the only way words left the otherwise stoic robot. Still, if Wonsik refused the spoken sentiment of wanting something, he didn’t know if Leo would ever express it again.

“Fine,” Wonsik finally conceded and looked away from Leo. “But take that hat off of him. It’ll draw more attention. Don’t leave him by himself to talk to strangers.”

“Yes, Wonsik-jumma,” Jaehwan flicked his wrist in a shooing motion. “We won’t let him talk to scary strangers or accept any wood nickels.”

More seriously, Hakyeon tapped Leo’s chest with a warm smile. “We’ll be right by him the whole time.”

Despite their reassurances, Wonsik couldn’t ignore the niggling anxiety in his gut; the only way to make sure Leo didn’t end up being exposed was to limit his contact with others. If strangers had to go through Wonsik first, it reduced the risk almost entirely. After placing the snapback on his own head, Wonsik lessened his grip on the Leo’s elbow and began walking, leading the STARLIGHT from the other side.With what seemed like a practiced ease, Leo fell into step beside him almost immediately, though Hakyeon stumbled a moment or two before he followed suit. The others laughed and continued along behind them.

Whoever programmed the STARLIGHTs did so brilliantly, Wonsik decided after Leo didn’t try to stop them at any of the front plaza’s many flourishes. When Wonsik himself had moved into the complex, he remembered spending the first ten minutes or so of every trip out just staring at the impressive glass facade, much more on the bubbling fountains and abstract art that spread before it and reflected angelic shapes. Leo turned a curious eye toward one of them, a strange wavy rendition of a humanoid form, but kept pace beside Wonsik without pause. The journey down the boulevard to the supermarket continued much the same, with the exception of the increased volume of his roommates’ chatter as they pointed out one thing after the other to the STARLIGHT. At one point, Hakyeon promised Leo fried chicken, Hongbin promised the STARLIGHT bubble tea, Jaehwan pizza, and Hyuk ice cream.

“I don’t think STARLIGHTs can eat,” Wonsik interjected as soon as Hakyeon raised his pinky toward Leo.

The aforementioned STARLIGHT blinked at the extended pinky before mimicking the action himself. Without hesitation, Hakyeon closed his own around Leo’s. “I promised Wonsikie.”

A faint glimmer of mirth touched Leo’s lips, brightening his gaze as he nodded. “A promise.”

Somehow, Wonsik was able to pull apart their hands by the time the group reached the sliding doors of the supermarket; he didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to themselves. Luckily, Leo seemed to have already mastered discretion, but Wonsik’s roommates more than made up for his silence. If Wonsik didn’t know better, he would think his roommates had never been to this supermarket for all their excitement.

“Do you think Leo has tried…” became the music accompanying Wonsik’s every step as he kept a firm hold on Leo’s elbow. More often than not, the STARLIGHT would shake his head in a short motion that didn’t even ruffle his dark hair. Fruits of varying colors and foods Wonsik had never heard of filled their cart, though each contributor promised ‘just this one thing’ each time. They also circled the store looking for every free sample they could, offering Leo little cups of yogurt of seasoned meat. Each time, though, Wonsik waved the offers away for the STARLIGHT; experimenting with foods would be better done back at their apartment. Though he figured Leo wouldn’t vocalize his tastes, Wonsik didn’t want to run the risk of making a scene.

As they finished their final circuit through the frozen food aisle, Wonsik breathed a sigh of relief. A normal one hour (if that) trip to the supermarket had already turned into two and Leo’s posture seemed to stiffen the longer they remained. They picked their queue and as soon as the cart drew to a stop, Hakyeon made a beeline for the gossip magazine he loved so much, Jellyfish.

“Ooh! They have a feature on Seo In Guk!” His roommate exclaimed as he flipped through the pages, leaving the rest of the group to look at the cover that read ‘how to show him you really care’ and ‘which idol is your ideal type.’

Jaehwan snatched up the copy behind Hakyeon’s and Wonsik leaned past Leo to look, though he knew what page his roommate would read first.

“I wish I had a girlfriend,” Jaehwan groaned as he stopped on the article featuring ‘the top ten ways to show him you care,’ with a picture of a fuzzy bear as an inset. “She could get me a hundred bears like this!”

“That’s not a good reason to have a girlfriend.” Hongbin shook his head, though he craned his neck to read the list all the same.

“Help me get the groceries up here.” Wonsik pulled the magazine from Jaehwan’s hands a moment later and placed it back on the shelf. 

Before any of them could move, Leo had stepped forward to do just that, arranging the various boxes and bags on the belt by frozen, refrigerated, and dry, as well as fruits, meats, and grains. The cashier watched for a moment with raised eyebrows before Wonsik grabbed Leo’s elbow again.

“You don’t have to.” Wonsik pulled the STARLIGHT back from the belt, and the others easily filled his place sorting the groceries. “I didn’t mean to make it sound like a command. Remember, do things you want to do.”

Leo blinked at Wonsik for a few moments before nodding though his shoulders sagged. Or maybe Wonsik just imagined that, but he didn’t have a chance to consider it as the cashier called for his attention. Something about if he wanted the drinks double-bagged or not. Wonsik simply nodded to whatever as he fished around in his jeans for his wallet. He could already tell this trip would hurt, but his roommates always did this. On the weeks they weren’t buying, they stocked up, but this trip in particular he noticed a dramatic increase in new foods.

“What is this?” He reached out to pick up one of the brightly-colored packages, looking toward his roommates.

“It’s been all over the commercials during Countdown!” Hakyeon finally returned his magazine to the holder. “You know… ‘swing in the trees like me and—‘ “

“Those are so annoying,” Wonsik groaned as he set the box back on the belt and produced his wallet from his back pocket. 

“They’re cute!” Jaehwan chimed in, leaning on Wonsik’s shoulder where Leo had been a minute earlier. “I can do the voice.”

“Hyukkie does it better.” Hakyeon shook his head, nudging the youngest of the crew. “Do it for us!”

Hyuk laughed sheepishly and shook his head. “Jaehwan-hyung does it better.”

“Oh, so respectful!” Hongbin said through a bright grin. “His parents raised him right.”

“You youngsters could learn from him,” Hakyeon replied, wrapping an arm around Hyuk.

“Wah! Mommy is trying to choke me!” Hyuk dramatically called out and Hakyeon chopped him in the neck. “And now he’s hitting me!”

Shaking his head, Wonsik watched the last of the packages scanned and bagged. He paid quickly and turned to grab Leo’s arm to guide him along, but found Jaehwan there instead.

“Huh? Where’s Leo?” He asked, eyebrows furrowed at the group.

“Maybe he wanted one of those free samples you didn’t let him have,” Jaehwan provided unhelpfully. “Meanie.”

“No he doesn’t,” Wonsik dismissed, pivoting in place trying to spot the gold-colored snapback he’d seen the STARLIGHT wearing earlier, only to realize now he was wearing it. Maybe his roommates had a good idea with such a glaring fashion choice.

“There he is at the crane game,” Hakyeon pointed out and Wonsik followed his outstretched finger to the lithe figure standing near the exit.

“What the hell is he…” Wonsik grumbled, as he left his roommates to pack the bags of groceries back into their cart.

As pointed out by Hakyeon, Leo indeed stood at the crane game, the spectrum of flashing lights playing across his dark hair, coloring it pink, red, blue, and green. No wonder Wonsik hadn’t seen him. Just as Wonsik reached out to clasp Leo’s arm again, he noticed the STARLIGHT’s intense gaze focused on the pit of plushies underneath the spindly fingers of the mechanical claw. Wonsik had never seen anyone actually win at this game; plenty of parents attempted to placate crying children with a prize from it, but all of them failed. For all he knew, the game was a waste of time and money both.

“Where did you find the credits to play this?” Wonsik asked, first and foremost.

“I found them,” the STARLIGHT answered without breaking his stare as he moved the joystick left and right to position the claw.

“Where—“

“Is Leo playing it?” Hakyeon appeared on Leo’s other side and pressed his hands against the glass to watch. “I’ve never seen anyone win it!”

From behind them, Wonsik could hear the squeaky wheels of a shopping cart and his other roommates joined in watching the spectacle of Leo’s concentration. The timer ticked further down, but Leo spent more and more time positioning the claw again and again. A nudge right, a gentle tap to the left.

“Leo, you’re supposed to use the time to try and get as many as you can!” Hakyeon coached, though the STARLIGHT didn’t acknowledge his words.

“5, 4…” Hyuk chanted, his eyes wide with a concern unwarranted for a crane game in a supermarket.

Just as Wonsik thought the STARLIGHT didn’t understand the game, Leo jabbed the button to deploy the claw. It stretched out its long digits and closed around a white, fuzzy bear. , Wonsik thought. That toy in particular was nigh on impossible to keep in the claw. Many parents had made the excuse of the glossy fur increased the difficulty, but most if not all kids asked for that one first. Now that a creature very similar had been featured in Jellyfish, Wonsik had a feeling many teenagers would experience the same grief.

The claw closed around the bear’s middle, but as it lifted slowly from the pile, the other plushies tugged it lower and lower in the grip. Of course, the game was rigged from the start, Wonsik figured, but he didn’t want to see the STARLIGHT upset for having failed. Whoever said anything about learning lessons the hard way had never talked to Leo. Despite emerging from a box less than a week ago, Leo already seemed weighed down, if not lethargic, at times. Wonsik had found him staring out at the night sky more than once already. When asked about the behavior, Leo sounded like a wizened old man, ’We made a promise.’Nothing more had ever been spoken about the matter, though not for lack of trying on Wonsik’s part.

Cheering broke Wonsik from his reverie and he blinked just as the bear dropped into the prize chute.

“Leo, you’re good at everything!” Hakyeon nearly hopped onto Leo’s back in his excitement, hands curled around the STARLIGHT’s shoulders. The others doted the robot with hair ruffling, back patting, and yet more cheering.

Just as Leo retrieved the bear, Wonsik tried to quiet his roommates, “Hey stop that.”

Leo’s shoulders stiffened and his fingers tightened around the bear’s chest.

“He didn’t mean you.” Hakyeon was developing some kind of sixth sense for Leo’s distress and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, still grinning. “Are you going to give that to someone special?”

“Someone special?” Leo asked with raised eyebrows, turning away from Wonsik to his roommate. “Like the magazine said?”

“I would give it to Seo In Guk, if I could,” Hakyeon replied, his smile brightening further with pride.

“I’ll give it to Seo In Guk,” Leo extrapolated aloud and Hakyeon shook his head.

“No, no, no, give it to someone you think is special,” his roommate encouraged and the STARLIGHT blinked for a moment or two.

“Give him time to think about it.” Wonsik gestured toward the shopping cart. “We’ve already been out for two hours; let’s go home.”

But then a white, fuzzy bear entered his field of view. Wonsik blinked down at it for a moment before following the arm to a bowed head.

“Huh?” He stared down at the STARLIGHT, before glancing over to Hakyeon. “You’re giving it to me?”

Hakyeon elbowed him and Wonsik accepted the little bear with a half-bow of his own, his fingers gently closing around it. As soon as he did, warmth blossomed in his chest, filling every inch to the point of bursting. It spilled out of him through laughter before he caught himself and tried to contain the joy behind a tight smile that made his cheeks hurt.

“Thank you, Leo,” he finally replied, reaching one hand out to the STARLIGHT’s shoulder, who straightened and nodded with the barest hint of a smile.

When Wonsik settled down for sleep that night, he looked over the white fur of the bear to the box that contained an already-powered-down Leo. Of course, the surface had been covered with stickers of all kinds, little post-it notes with words of cheer from his roommates, but the STARLIGHT still seemed lonely somehow. Wonsik wasn’t one to keep many toys, but maybe he could try making one. For now, though, he tugged the softest blanket from his bed to tuck around Leo, fingers brushing across the STARLIGHT’s skin in the process.

If he wasn’t mistaken, Leo was softer than the toy bear Wonsik clutched in his hands.

//AN: Thank you for the kind comments on my previous chapter!