Y/N had never liked growing up.

As a child she'd always loved being swung around in her mother's lap, sitting on her step dad's shoulders, playing with her transformers rescue bots, making loom bands and watching TV all afternoon. She'd always remember those days with a sad smile, she knew she'd never experience days like those ever again.

But one thing that had always remained constant was the music.

Her parents had always had an old record player, it was hers now. She remembered the day of her birthday, it was hard to forget about her parents yelling at each other on the front porch in front of her birthday cake with the sound track of an eerie "Happy birthday" song blaring from the record player making the scene ironic.

 But that was a story for another time, Y/N shook those looming thoughts out of her head. It was the first day of SUMMER! Not a day to be miserable, that's for sure! Besides, she was on her way to Killton's Vinyls, the place with all her childhood memories. 

And also where she kept her record player. Today was a very special day because Killton had just gotten a shipment of new alternative rock records. As she thought about those shelves of records, Y/N couldn't help but walk with a skip in her step.

All too soon she reached the familiar, glass door taped with advertisements of the latest CDs, she pushed the door open and the bell rang. Y/N dropped her backpack by the door "Mr. Killton! I'm back from school! Do you have any Vocaloid vinyls yet?" she called out. Killton was a strange man indeed.

He was of small stature and he always wore multicoloured tuxedos. It was no secret that he was involved in secretive dealings involving rare records and he's constantly brag about the fact that his grandfather had met the Beedles. Killton's head popped up from behind the counter "Y/N! My favourite customer! Business is booming today, I could really use your help," he exclaimed, putting a new stack of records on the counter 

"Your order has arrived! The lost one's weeping, Circles and the platinum Queen album covers are all here!" he read aloud from a list. He then put a cardboard box on the table next to it "We just got a shipment of alternative rock..." he grinned "Including your favourite- vocaloid...!" his voice trailed off.

Y/N gaped, bouncing in excitement "I'll reshelve these right away!" she practically snatched the box from Killton. The shopkeeper laughed at her enthusiasm, dusting his hands "Oh- by the way! Once you're done with that maybe you could help the customer in aisle 4?"

"Sure!" Y/N called out over her shoulder, more interested in the new records. You could barely make out the top of her head because of the cardboard box she was carrying. It was heavy, but Y/N had gotten used to the weight since the many times she stepped through the doors of Killton's Vinyls.

She walked up to the section of aisle two, it was labeled "Alternative/electrical rock" she dropped the box and it landed on the sanded, wooden planks with a satisfying 'THUD'. Y/N quickly crammed the volumes on the empty spaces of the rack, she clumsily dropped a few but picked them back up and organised them, she knew customers didn't like to be kept waiting.

Y/N then power-walked to aisle 4, she expected to see a nostalgic old man, or a woman buying records for reference or even a small child buying some vinyls for their grandparents. But who she saw made her lips part in surprise.

Link?

The boy turned around, sensing someone, and his eyes widened in shock. The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like hours, before Y/N broke the silence. She cleared her throat, still recoiling from the heart attack, and gestured to the vinyl in Link's hands "That's a good choice," she cringed at the quiver at the end.

It read 'Summertime Record'. The boy blinked at her before seemingly being called back to reality, he just nodded, inwardly cringing at his stupid response. Y/N spoke again "I never knew you were into these things, Link." she tried to clear the tension with a smile.

Link quickly put the record back into the shelf, like it was a hot potato. He swallowed "Likewise." he said so quietly that Y/N had to strain her ears to hear him. Luckily the air was cleared when Killton entered the conversation.

"I take it you two know each other?" He grinned widely "Link here has been helping me before school for the past month." he explained to Y/N, who's eyes snapped back at Link. How does he manage to wake up so early? Y/N smiled "I come here everyday after school. That's probably why we haven't seen each other."

After another lapse of silence, Killton exclaimed "Thanks for helping me you two. I know it isn't much but," he handed Y/N a five dollar bill "Go get yourselves some ice cream, my treat!"

"Aw! Killton, you don't have to! I've been coming here since forever!"

"You really don't have to, sir."

Y/N and Link protested at once, Y/N's voice drowning out Link's hushed whisper. Killton insisted "But you guys help around so much! Go get ice cream- that's an order!" he said firmly, he turned to Link "And there's no need to call me 'sir', Killton is fine!"

Link's lips held the ghost of a smile "Yes, Killt-... Sir." he quickly corrected himself. Killton laughed and pushed the two soon-to-be-juniors out the door and onto the street. Link shoved his hands into his pockets, the way he stared at the asphalt you'd think it was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen in his life.

Y/N gave a wry smile "So... Purah's Ice cream parlour?" she asked, Link glanced at her and nodded. They walked along the street, a big distance between them. Y/N cringed at the awkward situation, curse Killton for trying to develop her social skills.

"Excited for summer?"

"Yep."

"A part of me hopes it will never end... After Junior we'll really be out there, fending for ourselves. I wish this summer would never end."

"Yeah..." Link hesitated "...Life really is short."

Y/N was taken aback by the sad tone of his voice, but she decided not to press any further.

"It really is."