Link clocked into work slightly happier than normal. Well, normal for him, was unhappy.

So far, only his grandmother and Aryll could make Link remotely happy. But for some reason after his small walk with Zelda he had felt a sudden lift off of his shoulders.

He hadn't completely told her about why he was supporting Aryll, but even just mentioning that he had a burden that he didn't like living with to someone outside his family made him feel better about it.

Link smiled at nowhere in particular, I'm glad we went on that walk.

"Oh Liiiiiink!"

Good grief it's Malon. She's probably going to ask me if today works for a date. I guess I've put her off long enough.

Link turned around and faked a friendly smile, "hey there, Malon."

"Hi Link! Do you know if today would be a good day for us to go on that date?"

"Uh...I guess so..." Let the pain commence...

"Oh great!" Malon said enthusiastically, "should I pick you up?"

"I mean...sure?" Why did I say yes to this again?

"Great! Does dinner at Telma's sound good? And maybe a walk around Town Square?"

"Um...why not?" What was the purpose of dating again? Link already knew that he didn't like her. I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a try...

"Awesome! I'll come get you at six!"

"Uh...okay."

Malon ran off skipping merrily. Once she was out of earshot Link sighed; the one day he was feeling less depressed, this had to happen.

Link continued his work, doing his best to avoid the girls, especially Illia. If she were to ask him out again today too it might be weird.

Now more depressed than ever he drove back home in order to get home back in time for Zelda and Tetra to arrive at his house.

"How was work big brother?" Aryll asked when Link walked through the garage door and into the house.

Link just groaned and flopped onto the couch.

"That bad huh?" Aryll asked as she crunched her cereal.

Link looked up perplexed, "what are you eating?"

She looked down at her bowl of Tingle Krispies, "uh...cereal?"

Link got up and stared at the bowl, "at 5:30?"

Aryll looked confused, "um...yeah? Do you have a problem with that?"

"Isn't cereal a breakfast food?" Link asked as he picked up the disturbing box, "and why would you be eating Tingle Krispies? How did you get these anyway?"

"What's wrong with Tingle?" Aryll asked innocently, "he's a model. Everybody eats his cereal."

"Everybody?"

"Yeah. Oh, and it was Tetra who brought these over. She forgot them here so I'm eating them."

"Who brings cereal over to someone else's house?" Link asked clutching his head, "you've got one weird friend Aryll."

Aryll shrugged, "I don't mind because she also thinks I'm a little weird. Not as much anymore, but when she found out that I was hiding a stuffed seagull in the corner of my room-"

"You have a stuffed seagull?"

Aryll stared at Link, embarrassed about the little slip. She carefully took another bite of Tingle Krispies. Once she closed her mouth she mumbled, "mm hmm..."

Link just laughed, "how come I never knew?"

"Because I didn't want you to know dummy," Aryll said glaring a bit.

"Oh I'm the dummy?" Link asked. Link honestly wasn't mad at all; he was glad they were talking like this, they hadn't done so for a very long time.

"Well yeah. You're so dense."

Link was honestly confused now, "I'm what?"

"You're dense. Like, a girl is crushing on you and you don't even know."

"What?" Link asked, how could she know about Malon? Link already knew that she liked him anyways just because how much she seemed to admire him at work, "Aryll, what are you-"

DING DONG!

"Oh I'll get the door!" Aryll said jumping off of her chair and taking off for the door.

Once the door was open, Zelda and Tetra walked in together. Link walked over to them concerned.

"Hey Zelda, do you like eating Tingle Krispies?"

"W-what?" Zelda asked with a red stained blush on her face.

"Tingle Krispies. The cereal. Do you like eating them?"

"Uh..." she smiled at the ground, "yeah I do."

"WHAT?!" Link freaked, "HOW CAN PEOPLE HONESTLY LIKE EATING CEREAL WITH TINGLE ON THE BOX?"

"It's the new trend these days," Tetra said, "oh that reminds me, I think I left my box of Tingle Krispies here."

"You did what?" Zelda asked surprised, "you left your cereal here?"

"Well yeah it was an accident. I wanted to let Aryll try them because Link never gets them for her."

"Oh..." Zelda said trying not to laugh as she looked back at Link.

"What?"

"It's just funny...how you don't want Aryll to eat Tingle Krispies."

"Good grief," Link shook his head as the girls laughed at him. He glanced at his watch and remembered that his date was coming soon.

"Hey Zelda!"

"Huh?" She asked a little surprised that he wanted to talk about something else.

"Can I talk to you privately?"

"W-what?" Zelda asked clearly surprised, now with a most unmistakable blush.

"Just for a second, c'mon I don't want Aryll and Tetra to overhear us..."

Zelda follwed Link into the hallway, "o-okay."

_^_

Zelda walked into the guest bedroom extremely nervous and red in the face, what does he want to talk to me about? Can...he possibly like me?

She nearly gasped at the thought but remained silent as Link turned around to face her.

"I need to ask you a favor."

...Huh? "Oh...okay."

"Would you mind keeping an eye on our siblings today? I have to go out today."

Zelda breathed out, a little disappointed. It may end up being a pain but she would do it for Link, "yeah sure."

Link smiled, "great, thanks. You don't have to be spying on them the whole time but I would just appreciate it if you just checked on them once in a while...make sure they don't burn the house down..."

Zelda laughed, "okay yeah, I can do that." Curiosity got the best of Zelda in the moment, "where are you going?"

"Oh I uh..." he looked a little embarrassed, "I have a date..."

"Oh..." Zelda's heart plummeted to the bottom of Lake Hylia. He was going on a date. The only boy she's ever had a sincere crush on is going on a date with someone other than her...It was like breaking her heart.

She mustered a smile, "that...sounds like fun. I hope you have a great time!"

Link didn't look thrilled about the idea, "yeah I'm not exactly excited about it but I guess I should go get ready. I'll be back hopefully before eight."

"Huh? Oh...okay..." Zelda stepped out of his way and walked out of the room with him following behind, what does he mean by that?

Link went upstairs to his room to go get ready and Zelda sat down at her usual spot on the couch and began to read A Love's Nightmare.

Whyyyyyyyy can't it be me going on the date with him?

DING DONG!

Zelda looked up from her book at the door. Had Link's date driven herself to his house? Usually the guy would pick the girl up right? Maybe they were in a relationship and she wanted to drive over or something?

Yes that would make sense, maybe Link wasn't excited for the date because he was tired of his girlfriend or something?

Zelda looked up again as the person outside knocked on the door again. Nobody had answered the door. Zelda looked around to see that nobody was going to, so she got up and opened it herself.

Standing on the doormat was a pretty young girl around Zelda's age. She had red hair that went past her shoulders and she wore a bright smile. However it faltered when she saw Zelda.

"Who're you?" She asked a little rudely.

"I'm Z-Zelda," Zelda stammered. She couldn't help but feel jealous of the redhead. Here she was about to go on a date with Link.

"Why are you in Link's house?" She asked.

"I...well-I...um...my sister-"

"Oh hi Malon." Zelda turned around to see Link walking towards them. He walked past Zelda swiftly and Zelda barely caught a small whiff of cologne.

"Sorry Malon let me introduce you: this is Zelda," Link said gesturing to her briefly, "her sister plays here everyday so she just comes in and reads."

"A pleasure," Malon said staring up at Zelda. However it didn't look to Zelda that Malon was pleased at all with what she was seeing.

"Um...we should go," Link said walking down the steps away from his house.

"Yes let's go!" Malon said following him quickly.

"I'll see you later I guess then Zelda," Link called quickly waving at her. She could see in his eyes that it looked like he wanted to get the date over as soon as possible.

Zelda smiled and gave a little wave back, "s-see you then!"

She quickly shut the door to avoid any more glares from Malon. When she turned around she saw Aryll and Tetra staring up at her.

"Who was that?" Aryll asked.

"Where is Link going?" Tetra asked.

Zelda slid away from the door and back to her book on the couch, "I'm not sure if I'm the right person to ask."

"But who was that redhead I've never seen her before!" Aryll said looking confused. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief, so he probably wasn't steady dating her.

"Do you know where they're going?" Tetra asked, "are they going on a date?"

Why were these girls so interested in Link's privacy.

Zelda sighed, "yeah he's going on a date."

The girls exploded.

"HOW COME I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS?" Aryll screamed.

"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! HOW IS THIS ALLOWED?" Tetra bellowed.

"WHEN LINK GETS HOME I'M GOING TO POUND HIM!"

"Woa calm down!" Zelda said putting down her book, "why is this bothering you so much?"

"Because I have to give the stamp of approval before Link can go out with a girl," Aryll explained, "he's got to have the right girl!"

"And it just bothers me how he just leaves without telling us," Tetra said, "I do NOT like him with her."

Zelda looked between the two of them confused, these girls think they can control who Link dates?

_^_

"Isn't this food just dandy Link?"

"What? Oh yes...just dandy..."

Unfortunately for Link, this must have been the most awkward night of his whole life. Malon didn't say much besides how much she liked his hair or his pants (that compliment really weirded him out).

And on the other end Link had hardly said anything. It wasn't that he couldn't, he just really didn't want to. If he acted like he was enjoying himself too much, she might ask him out again.

But Malon didn't seem to care. Just the fact that she was at a restaurant alone with Link made her extremely hyper, restless (and in Link's opinion) highly unattractive.

She had ordered a very light salad while Link had ordered a steak. He couldn't believe that anybody could settle for a salad when there was a steak available.

After they had finished eating they walked around Town Square and admired the pretty waterfall in the center. Malon reached out and got her hand wet in the waterfall.

A local ice cream shop owner poked his head out the window, "hey! You're polluting the water miss!"

Malon retracted her hand quickly and glanced up at Link embarrassed, "oh! Sorry..."

Soon enough Malon drove Link back up to his house. Link was hoping she would just stay in the car and not follow him up to his doorstep...but she did.

Link stood awkwardly in front of his door as Malon came up a little too close to him, "thanks for coming out with me Link."

Link nodded uncomfortably, "yeah you're welcome. Thanks for taking me."

"Anytime," Malon said with a grin. Suddenly her face came racing towards his.

Link bolted away as fast as he could from her, opened the door, and shut it quickly behind him. He stayed leaned against the door breathing hard, "that was way too close..."

Suddenly he heard laughing over by the window. He looked over to see Tetra, Aryll and Zelda all sitting by the window laughing.

He stared at them, "you saw that?"

They could hardly contain their laughing, "y-yes!" Tetra managed to get out.

Link stood up straighter and walked over to them, "I don't see why it's so funny to you."

"She tried to kiss you...and you ran away!" Aryll said, nearly crying for how hard she was laughing.

Zelda got over the laugh first and she looked up uncertainly at Link.

When he glanced at her she avoided his eyes. "Why exactly were you all spying at the door?" Link asked a little annoyed.

"We wanted to see if you were gonna kiss her," Aryll said, "and let me say: we're all super glad that you avoided the kiss. She wasn't a keeper for you big brother."

Link looked back at Zelda, not believing that she was actually participating in this sort of things with the preteens. Zelda briefly gave him a glance and shrugged.

Link sighed, "you guys are so weird."

After Zelda and Tetra left, Link went to bed with an odd question in his head: why was Zelda peeking out the window?