Zelda wasn't at school today.

Link didn't know why, but he was concerned the entire day. He wouldn't say he was worried about her, but of course, he was a little concerned.

Lunchtime arrived, and Link rushed over to the table where Zelda and Midna usually sat to avoid his other friends. Could he even call them friends? They barely talked to him anymore. Link didn't want to bother asking—too much work.

Slamming his lunch tray down, he pulled out a chair and sat down in front of Midna, who was just staring at Link with wide eyes the entire time.

"Hello... Why are you sitting here?" Midna questioned, swallowing the food in her mouth.

"Do you really hate me that much?" Link grumbled, then sighed and shook his head. "Never mind that. I need your help."

"With what? I thought Zelda was helping you—"

"This is a different problem. One that involves Zelda," Link cut her off.

Midna was silent for a few seconds. Finally exhaling, she gave into his words and shrugged. "Sure, I guess. What do you need my help with?"

"I need to get closer to Zelda," Link answered, which made Midna smirk and chuckle a bit, for some reason.

"Aren't you close enough with her? She usually talks about you when you're not around," Midna informed him, leaving Link at a loss of words once he heard that.

Zelda talked about him? He didn't think she actually enjoyed being in his presence. Always, he always assumed she was only doing this out of pity. Once the end of the month arrived, she would laugh it off and tell him the truth, "I never liked being around you, anyway," and she would disappear and never speak to him again. Ohhh god. That couldn't happen.

Anyways, Zelda had talked about him, with Midna—Midna who hates Link. And by Midna's statement, she did it quite frequently. But why?

"Well...I just want to make sure that—that this deal works," Link added. "I want to be her friend."

"You've already convinced her. I don't see why you want to go any further with this," Midna chastised. "But, if you don't think it's enough, I'll lend you a hand."

Link beamed at her answer. "Thank you, Midna. Now I just have to plan out what I'll do for her."

"You're acting like you're gonna propose to her!" Midna exclaimed, although nobody was paying attention to their conversation to overhear her bold statement. Pink dusted across Link's cheeks at Midna's words, and he tried to ignore the nervous feeling that was arising in him again.

"Do you have any ideas?" Midna inquired, taking a sip of the water she had.

"Nah... That's another thing I need your help with," Link told her, and his cheeks returned to their normal shade, his nervous antics calming down at last.

"Okay. Well, Zelda's birthday is actually next week," Midna informed with an all-knowing grin, and Link's ears perked up at what she said.

"Really? That's perfect, then! I'll just have to give her something amazing," Link cheered, mostly to himself.

Midna smiled at his excitement, pondering over what Zelda would actually want for her birthday. She knew the girl very well, better then anyone else, most likely. But she couldn't think of any suitable gift that Zelda would enjoy receiving. And Zelda was the type of person to fake excitement over a gift she didn't want, so they would never really be able to tell that she liked it or not. But, if she showed her genuine happiness, which Midna had seen a few times before and observed, then this would work. Zelda would be incredibly happy, and it would definitely brush off on Link and make him happy. They'd both be happy.

They act like they're a couple already... Midna thought to herself, imagining them holding hands. It looked a bit odd to her, but it also looked like it was meant to be. Gah, I can't ship people in the real world.

"We have a week to think about this. I'll try asking her about things she likes and I'll tell you, but maybe you should talk to her as well," Midna said. "But don't make it too obvious that you're getting her a gift."

"I'll try my best," Link said with a confident nod.

"Don't let her down, please," Midna muttered, just as the bell rung, signaling the end of their lunchtime.

••

What does Zelda even like? Link thought to himself as he made his way out of the school. She never really spoke about her interests that much, so he wouldn't know unless he asked her. And if he did that, she'd probably catch on in time.

Leaning against the tree he and Zelda usually spoke under, he exhaled sharply. Just as he began to wonder why Zelda wasn't at school today (and frankly today was less exciting for Link), he got a text from her.

Opening the message app, he read her text, which read:

lol sorry I wasn't at school today. i felt kinda under the weather, but I'm fine

ok cool. I was kinda concerned

understandable

can I tell you something

That's the text that made Link grow anxious. Gah, why do I have to get so nervous over the simplest things? She's not going to say anything bad. But what if she does—

I really like video games right? I've never told you but there it is

there's a new console and game being released soon

oh when?

I think it's October 3rd?

wait yes it is

October 3rd

how much is the console? and the game

a lot lol... I could never afford it now

Today was September twenty-sixth, so there was about a week away until the console and the video game were released. Link knew good and well that video game consoles were expensive, plus the game, made it more expensive. How would he turn up with the right amount of money in just a week?

hey when's your birthday? Midna told me it was next week but not which day

o

October 7th, it's a saturday

I'm not having any party

pretty sure nobody would come.

o

well happy early birthday? I'll still wish you a happy birthday on the 11th

how nice :) :) :)

Link heard a beeping noise, and he saw his parents car pulling into the parking lot of the school. Why were they picking him up? They were usually at work at this time, so he'd have to walk home himself and watch Aryll until they came back.

Nonetheless, Link texted Zelda that he had to go, and turned off his phone. Running towards his mother's car, he opened the front door to see his mother sitting there and Aryll in the back, both wearing smiles on their faces.

"Hey," Link greeted them a bit awkwardly, throwing his backpack onto the floor of the car and sitting in the passengers seat. He closed the car door.

"Why're you picking us up, mom?" Link asked.

"I didn't have work today, remember?" Mother said in an obvious voice, while Aryll jokingly teased Link for forgetting.

"Oh, okay," Link replied, wondering why she didn't have work. Maybe she called in sick, or she just had a free day for some reason. The former would be the most logical, considering that Link's mother worked at a government hospital.

As they began to drive home, Link thought about the video game console that Zelda wanted.

"Mom? Do you have a couple hundred of dollars that I could borrow?" Link asked nonchalantly already knowing his mother would say no. But, it was a way of getting her interested in this.

"Excuse me? I'm not handing over hundreds of dollars for no reason," Mother scoffed. "What do you even need it for?"

"There's this video game console that I want to get for my friend. And a video game," Link simply answered.

"Oh, which friend? I didn't know any of your friends liked video games. They were all into sports and such," Mother said.

"It's a girl and—" Link was cut off.

"It's Zelda! I know it!" Aryll chanted. "You like her! I know it!"

I feared this, Link thought, feeling his cheeks burn up as he got his voice ready to yell at his younger sister.

"I do not!" he yelled back, but Aryll wouldn't believe his lies.

Mother had that all knowing grin on her face, because she knew Link was lying. His ears always turned a light shade of red when he lied.

"You've never talked about Zelda, why're you getting this all for her?" Mother questioned.

"Her birthday is next Saturday."

"Oh," Mother drawled out, biting her lip as she thought. "Your dad and I will talk about it, but you'd going to have to earn all that cash. We're not handing it over to you for free."

Link nodded, and then the conversation ended there. Even Aryll kept her mouth shut about Link's infatuation with Zelda.

He wondered what Zelda's reaction would be if he had gotten that new console and game for her.

Midna could also help, since she was Zelda's best friend.

This could work.

••