My heart could only speak of happiness after all the things that happened on that unforgettable night. It was the night when Crystal finally talked to me. It was the night when I properly introduced myself to the girl I admired for such a long time. I could still remember how long I waited for that moment to come – the time when we would finally begin to know each other. Crystal. It was such a wonderful name, and it suited her perfectly. She was a simple girl but she was pretty, like a brilliant gemstone that sparkles vibrantly to brighten up my heart. I could still remember that exact autumn day when I first saw her gazing at the ocean. I could still remember how I admired her striking beauty. But now, my eager heart was not contented at her sole charms, for I longed to know her more. I wanted to find out more about her and her life. I wanted to know more about her personality and character. And I knew that the things that happened last night were only the beginning of a long and pleasant journey of love. Wait a minute, love? Could it really be called love? I couldn’t stop thinking of her. In each every minute of my day, I couldn’t help but think of what she was up to. I wanted to be with her throughout each of my days. So yes, it was most probably love. It was love. I never thought I would experience that emotion in my whole life. Not even once.

Crystal was the most perfect girl I ever met in my whole life. But her life was not as perfect as it seemed. That night, as we conversed under the pallid shade of the autumn moonlight, I was able to solve a part of the large jigsaw puzzle of mystery that was Crystal. I closed my eyes and looked into the total blackness. Every detail of that unforgettable evening was still vividly pictured in my thoughts. The white moon was there, floating in the heavens, observing us while we stood there in the fields. And the brown autumn weeds were also there, swaying gracefully with the wind. And who could forget about the lone Acacia tree sitting in the middle of the meadow? It was the tree where I used to hide while I gazed at Crystal’s beauty. It was the tree that concealed me under the shadows while I looked at her unnoticed. But after that night, I knew that I needed the tree no more. Crystal finally knew me and there was no need for me to hide myself from her. At last, the moment I had been waiting for a long time had come. She was there, crying on my shoulder for some reason I ought to find out. And so, as soon as I comforted her and stopped her lament, I began to ask her questions that would satisfy my craving – the craving for the explanation of her mysterious ways.

“To whom was the message under the chocolate cake for?” that was my first question.

Crystal seemed hesitant to give a reply. I was afraid that she would run away. I was afraid that she would turn her back away from me just like what she did when I first confronted her in that rainy autumn night. But I realized that she couldn’t, for my hand was around her back.

“For my friend,” that was her reply. “A friend I had since my childhood days.”

It was for her friend. No, it was for her very close friend. But that did not give me the answer I was looking for. Everything about Crystal was still the same – mysterious and vague. My mind was eager to know more about this friend of hers.

“Why was your friend away?” I asked.

“He went on a journey,” she replied. “He went away to do me a big favor.”

I was suddenly reminded of Harold, my loyal and trustworthy friend who was willing to do anything for me. I could still remember the time when I had a serious fever during one hot summer day. My head was throbbing wildly that I had to stay in bed for the whole day or I would collapse on the ground. While I was sick, Harold, my best friend, was the one who bought food and herbals for me. He did not go to his job for a day just to make sure that I would get well soon. He was truly a dependable and loyal pal. But perhaps this friend of Crystal was even more loyal than Harold. Perhaps their friendship was a lot stronger than ours, for it was so hard to imagine that the person Crystal was talking about was willing to sacrifice many days of his life and go on a long perilous journey just for her.

Once again, Crystal kept quiet for a few seconds. She was probably not sure if she was to entrust these things to me. She was probably trying to figure out if she could trust me or not. I did not want to force her. I was about to change my question when she finally decided that she would answer it for me.

“He was searching for the cure of my mother’s illness.”

“She had been ill for quite some time now.”

“What sickness?” I curiously asked. I suddenly had an awkward feeling that perhaps I was going too far into Crystal’s private life. But my interest in her overrode that.

“It was a rare disease,” Crystal sadly replied. “It’s like a plague that slowly eats up her body as time passes by.” Crystal looked straight at the white moon levitating in the heavens. I saw a tear flow down her cheeks. “Her illness does not just affect a part of her, but it gradually destroys her whole body. I don’t want her to die. I don’t want her to die, Neil!”

“Don’t cry. I’m sure that your friend will get his hands on the cure soon,” I said to comfort her. “What is the cure anyway?”

Crystal wiped her tears away from her sweet and charming face. “The Moon Flower. It is the only remedy. I know it. It’s a legend that was passed on from generation to generation in our town. It is a part of history. It was the flower that healed the illness of our ancestors, and I knew that it can also cure my mother. I must get my hands on the Moon Flower. I must get it before Mother dies!”

The Moon Flower – I never heard of it. I didn’t know if it even exists. According to Crystal, it was legend of their town. But I knew well in my heart and mind that oftentimes legends were nothing but a product of man’s imagination. They were nothing but fabricated tales that attempt to find a reason for unexplainable things in our world. But who knows? The Moon Flower could be true. For someone as desperate as Crystal who had nothing to depend on but those myths, it was never wrong to dream, because dreams just might come true.

“And where is this Moon Flower?” I continued to interrogate her.

Crystal lifted her arm and pointed to a tall foggy mountain across the wide ocean, standing on top of the blurry night horizon. I instantly remembered that exact peak. It was the same mountain I saw during that autumn sunset – the one with the strange hut atop it. It was the mountain I saw while I was ambling on the russet fields waiting for Crystal to arrive. I never expected it to be a place very important to Crystal. I never expected it to be the resting place of the sacred Moon Flower. “There,” Crystal said. “There at Moon Peak lies the sacred Moon Flower. According to our tales, it only blooms during the autumn season. And it only blooms during a full moon.” It only blossoms during a full moon. I quickly searched my memory for any trace of a full moon. Yes, that rainy night when I first approached Crystal – that evening was a full moon. If it was real, the Moon Flower probably bloomed on that drizzly night. And if her friend was able to get that sacred blossom during that period, he would probably be returning any day soon.

I opened my eyes. I was once again in the real world. I was amazed at how vivid my imagination was. It seemed like the things that happened that unforgettable night was just a blink away. It was like a new world that I could go into whenever I wished. It was a realm captured in my mind that would remain in my thoughts for eternity. After all, it was an incredibly significant night, and I would never forget it until the day I die. It was the beginning. I knew that it was the sweet beginning of a relationship between me and Crystal.

“Neil!” Harold was calling me again from outside my hut. I hated it when he yells like that.

Quickly, I lifted my body and stood up from bed. I struggled to find my blue slippers which were accidentally pushed under the bed last night. I had to crouch and stretch out my arms under the bed to retrieve them. I considered it as a morning stretch for my bones. After a prolonged effort, I finally managed to pull my slippers, with a couple of spiders and a lot of dust, from under the bed. “Neil!” there was Harold’s irritating yell again. Due to his pressuring shouts, I accidentally put my feet onto the slippers, stepping on the spiders and crushing them to death. It was disgusting. I had always hated insects and slugs. I rubbed my foot on the floor to get rid of the lifeless remains of the arachnid. “Neil!” Harold was calling out my name again, but that time it was a lot louder, as if he was getting more and more impatient. I hastily dashed to the drawer in corner of the hut and I slid the top compartment open. I quickly selected an azure-colored shirt and I hurriedly put it on. Then, I hurried to the front door and opened it before I hear Harold’s exasperating call again. He was there, looking like he was in a good mood, carrying a brown bag on his right arm.

“Good morning, pal,” I greeted Harold. “What brings you here?”

“Hey, bro. I’m just checking on you.” Checking on me? He called me like there was no tomorrow just because he wanted to check on me? Harold really had some undesirable manners up his sleeves. “Oh yeah, I brought some breakfast for you. I bought some stuff early at dawn, so I thought of buying some bread and jam for you. Here, take it.”

“Thanks. It’s just what I needed,” I said as Harold handed over the brown bag to my hands. He was about to leave and go home when I made up my mind that I might as well invite him to join me for breakfast. I had a lot of stories to tell him, after all.

“Would you like to come and join me for breakfast? We could share this; it’s too much for me. I have a lot of stories to tell you about me and the girl I was talking about.”

Harold was overjoyed when I told him every detail of what happened the night before. The bread and jam tasted a lot more delectable, for our stomachs were not the only things that were satisfied. Our hearts were also filled with excitement and happiness. I was happy because of Crystal. Harold was happy for me. I knew he was. I could see it on the smile painted upon his lips. He was truly my irreplaceable best friend. Yesterday, he was there, comforting me and sympathizing with me as I worried about Crystal. And now, he was there, filled with thrill and delight because he knew that I was happy. He was always prepared to share good and bad emotions with me. He was always ready to assist me and support me in everything I go through in my life. I would sacrifice anything to keep our friendship intact and strong. I would never trade anything for Harold, for he was the truest and best buddy any guy could ask for. As soon as the last piece of bread was consumed, our hearts continued to be fed with gladness while we shared the happiness I had in my heart.

“Where did you buy this bread?” I asked. “Is it from Mr. Corrino’s store?”

“No,” Harold replied. “He still hasn’t gone back here. He is probably enjoying his visit to his nephew in the neighboring town. I bought that from the bazaar.” I wondered where Mr. Corrino was. He didn’t usually engage on extended vacations away from our little village. It was in his business-minded character not to leave his store closed for a long time.

“Neil,” Harold said. “You told me that Crystal desperately wanted the Moon Flower that could cure her mother’s sickness.”

“I was just wondering… if you really want to win her heart, you should probably go and get that Moon Flower for her.” It was a brilliant, crazy, mad idea. I, Neil, venturing to Moon Peak to find the legendary Moon Flower – it was a thing that’s so hard to imagine, but it just might work.