During the day, I would help grandpa in the vineyard and try to learn the ropes of the business.

I met with his staff and the workers, the dealers and the business partners. I would study how the grapes are grown and how they are processed and fermented to make wine.

I was very busy during the day but at night I am still very much preoccupied. Since that incident Sandara would not leave my mind. 

It’s been 3 days but she has not been back. I was losing hope whether she was real or whether I just invented her out of my imagination.

What did she mean when she said it depends on the moon? Was she playing with me? Maybe she was just a tourist and has left the countryside or maybe it was her way of rejecting me.

Maybe I just dreamt about her, after all, why would someone as pretty as her stay in a place like this?

Or maybe she’s really some form of deity, a moon goddess. Heck! I think I’m being crazy already. All the crap my grandpa said is getting to me.

I was looking at the moon trying to solve its mystery along with my mystery girl when I felt the urge to swim. Maybe swimming will do me good and clear my thoughts.

I peeled off my shirt and entered the water. The water felt cool and fresh against my skin. I have only made a few laps when I heard a splash behind me.

“Who’s there?” I asked. I wasn’t scared or anything but since the nights I’ve been here I haven’t seen anyone come here at night except Sandara. I couldn’t be too sure, after all this is the countryside, weird things could happen here.

“Forgot about me?” someone said.

I spun around and saw Sandara a few feet behind me. How could I forget her, when she’s been popping in my mind constantly?

 “Sandara, you’re back!” I blurted out excitedly. I mentally slapped myself. Way to go Ji! Now she’d think you’re needy.

“She’s lovely tonight” she said almost wistfully, looking at the moon.

“Yeah” I breathed out looking at her instead of the moon. She looked like a water nymph in her nightdress.

Then she dove into the lake and swam a few before resurfacing a few feet in front of me and splashed me with some water before laughing.

We started to play around, splashing each other with water and laughing at each other. When we’ve had enough, we swam a few laps.

After a while we got tired and she started to swim to shore.  

“Will I see you again?” I asked. I was dreading her answer. What if I had to depend on the moon again?

“Tomorrow. I’ll see you tomorrow” she said before she disappeared into the woods.