who: @counterfcits
where: Rhythm Realm
Asher pushed open the door to Rhythm Realm, the familiar chime of the bell above echoing through the shop. It had been a while since he'd been here—not just physically, but mentally. The place looked the same as always, yet it felt a little different, like it had been waiting for him to return. The faint scent of vinyl and wood polish greeted him, along with the sunlight streaming through the front windows, bouncing off the rows of colorful album covers on display.
He slung his bag onto the counter and leaned over it, drumming his fingers in a familiar rhythm. It felt good to be back, even if the nerves still lingered beneath his easygoing demeanor. He glanced at the “Staff Picks” section, cringing slightly at the outdated selections from his last shift. “Alright, first order of business—these gotta go,” he muttered to himself, grabbing a stack of albums to swap out.
It didn’t take long before his fingers found their rhythm, flicking through records and rearranging shelves. Every now and then, he hummed along to the track playing over the shop's speakers—a vintage Stevie Wonder tune that perfectly matched the mid-morning energy.
As the door chime jingled again, Asher glanced up, flashing a grin at the person walking in. “Morning! Let me know if you need help finding anything. Or, you know, just need some top-tier life advice from your friendly neighborhood music guru.” It wasn’t just the music store getting back into its groove—Asher was finding his, too. Slowly but surely.
