The first class of pottery for beginners was a delight. Sun Fang showed up five minutes early and busied the time texting Mo Cheng (the man was taking his break at work) while he waited. It mostly consisted of discussion regarding a new drama that had just started airing; Mo Cheng was apparently an avid fan of the guy playing the main character.

He was one of the first people in through the door once it was unlocked, and he found a nice place near the front of the classroom to sit down. The next hour-and-a-half passed quickly, his hands completely covered in dried clay when it ended.

He’d had a blast.

He’d been doubtful before he’d come here, yes. It hadn’t been part of his plan at all, the thought of doing pottery hadn’t even occurred to him. But now that he was here and doing it? It was strangely fun and he was already looking forward to Sunday. 

The discussion with Mo Cheng concerning the drama mainly dealt with the main pairing. The ancient China of earth was the inspiration and it was apparently based on a novel that neither of them had read. Four episodes in and there were two potential love interests, and Mo Cheng just wouldn’t agree with him. He kept insisting that the princess was the love interest, but Sun Fang thought it might end up being the rebel leader.

Things got kind of heated for a bit.

On the way home, he and his butler stopped by a fresh-produce grocery store with locally sourced, freshly harvested products. Sun Fang usually just ordered all his food online and had it delivered to his front door, but he was feeling in a certain mood.

”You have your list?” Sun Fang asked his butler as they stood right inside the door. He had picked up a basket when he’d sashayed in, the same black skirt as yesterday swishing around his ankles. His sandal-wearing feet peeked out under the edge, and he uncurled his own tiny list, looking over the four items listed on it.

There were three items on his butler’s list. There really was no need for them to be here, or to split up. That was the thing though. Sometimes, Sun Fang did things he had no need for.

”Yes,” the butler said, showing its own list. ”I will meet you at the checkout counter.”

Sun Fang swept through the midsized store. He followed the signs hanging from the ceiling and quickly found the products he was after, the experience already nearing its end. Once he had everything safely stored in his basket, he wandered over to the checkout counter (it was self-checkout, so there was no employee around) and waited for his butler to join him.

It took about another ten minutes for his butler to arrive. There was significantly more in the AI’s basket than had been written on the list and Sun Fang furrowed his eyebrows. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes lingered on the heavy-looking basket nearly filled to the brim.

They paid for their wares and left the store. 

Today, there was not a hint of rain in the air. It seemed like sky had emptied itself out yesterday and now had nothing left to offer. The sunlight was agonizing, and he sweated in his long skirt. Handing his tiny bag over to his butler, Sun Fang fumbled with his purse until he got out his sunglasses and slid them back on his nose. He then took back the bag from his butler.

They walked at a slow pace across the sidewalk toward the car. Sun Fang took the opportunity to ask, ”Have you found a name you like?”

”Not yet, Young Master,” it answered.

Sun Fang hummed. He nodded and scratched at the tip of his nose. His gold earrings dangled from his ears, swaying in time with his movements. Dropping the subject, he moved onto another one. He licked his dry lips and asked, ”Did you have a good time while I was gone?”

”It was nice,” his butler answered.

The conversation fizzled out after that. They returned home quickly enough, considering that the car was of very high quality and built to last. At home, they unloaded their groceries in the kitchen and put everything away. Sun Fang then walked over to the living room, turning on the TV as he went.

His threw himself down on the loveseat, clawing at the thin blanket until it covered him nicely. Thanks to air conditioning, the temperature inside the apartment was very carefully controlled—Sun Fang liked cozying up with blankets and he couldn’t do that if it was too warm. Delightfully bundled up into a ball on the seat, he turned his gaze to the TV.

His sapping through the channels revealed nothing remotely interesting and he didn’t feel up for finding anything to stream, so he simply turned it off again. After a while, his butler joined him on the seat.

”That I have a name matters to you?” his butler asked with no warning.

Sun Fang peeked over at it. He looked over the shiny, mechanical eyes; the synthetic, pale skin; the dark, palling hair that had gone unwashed for way too long. His butler looked human, which almost made it worst. It meant that tiny, child-him hadn’t been able to understand that his butler wasn’t human and had oh-so-easily gotten attached.

”You should have a name,” he said. He didn’t say you’re a person and you deserve it and I owe it to you for everything you’ve done for me. Didn’t say I want you to have something that’s just yours, I want to be able to call you by a name and not just my butler. Didn’t say you should have an identity of your own.

His butler promised, ”I’ll keep looking.” It looked serious, like it meant it. Sun Fang exhaled softly and smiled, excitement stirring in his gut.