Amihan had always been drawn to the sea. Since childhood, the salty air and the endless blue had whispered to her in ways that words could not explain. Her father was a pearl diver, his weathered hands skilled at plucking the treasures from the deep, but it was her mother who had taught her the secret of the sea's magic—the delicate balance between what the ocean could give and what it could take.

When her lover, Bayani, was swept away by the storm, she found herself at the shore every night, staring at the horizon where the moonlight kissed the waves. She had been unable to breathe properly without him beside her, and every waking moment felt hollow, like a pearl with its core missing.

One night, as the moon hung low in the sky, she felt the sea stir, the ripples weaving an ancient song. Beneath the water, something stirred—something old and powerful. She dove into the cool depths, swimming deeper than she had ever dared, until the world above faded away. Her lungs burned, but the pull of the water was too strong, guiding her, as though it knew where she wanted to go.

In the depths of the ocean, a figure emerged—an ethereal woman, her skin the color of the sea foam, her long hair flowing like seaweed. The sea spirit was beautiful and terrifying, her eyes glowing with the light of a thousand stars.

“I know what you seek, mortal,” the spirit’s voice was soft, like a gentle current. “You wish to be with your lover again.”

Amihan's heart pounded in her chest. “Yes,” she whispered. “I would give anything to hold him once more, to feel his presence near me.”

The spirit smiled, and the waters seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. “I can grant your wish,” she said, “but it comes with a price.”

Amihan hesitated. “What must I give?”

The spirit held up her hand, and in it lay a perfect pearl, its surface smooth and radiant, reflecting the moonlight from above. “You must offer me your life,” she said. “For every night you wish to spend with your lover’s ghost, you must trade one year of your own life.”

The offer hung heavy in the water, the weight of it sinking into Amihan's bones. Her lover's face flashed before her eyes—the smile, the warmth, the joy they shared. She thought of their time together, the life they were supposed to build. She couldn’t live without him, not even for a day.

“I accept,” she said, her voice trembling with both fear and resolve.

The spirit’s eyes gleamed as she handed the pearl to Amihan. “Then take this and return to the surface. Each night, as you dive into the moonlit water, this pearl will guide you to him. But remember, every night you spend with him will cost you one more year of your life. Your time is finite, and the pearl’s magic is bound to the ocean’s heart.”

Amihan nodded, her heart heavy with the weight of the bargain. She took the pearl and swam to the surface, her lungs aching for air. As she broke through the water, she saw the moon hanging high, its reflection rippling on the sea’s surface.

That night, for the first time since Bayani’s death, she found peace. His ghost appeared before her, his smile as bright as the stars above, his arms opening to welcome her. They talked, laughed, and held each other as if no time had passed. They spoke of their dreams, their love, and the life they had once planned. For those precious hours, she was whole again.

But as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon, Bayani faded into the mist, and the warmth left her. She lay back in the water, the pearl cold in her hand, feeling the weight of the years slipping away. The sea had taken its toll, but she had been granted a moment, a single precious night with the one she loved.

Night after night, Amihan returned to the ocean, the pearl guiding her to Bayani’s ghost. Each time, she traded another year of her life for a few more hours of their love. She no longer counted the years as they slipped away, for in those moments, she was lost to time, her heart forever entwined with the sea.

One night, as the moon rose high and the waves whispered her name, Amihan felt the pull of the ocean stronger than ever. She dove deep, deeper than she had ever gone before, until the water became as still as the stars.

There, in the heart of the ocean, she found the sea spirit waiting.

“You have traded much,” the spirit said. “Your years are almost spent.”

Amihan nodded, her voice a mere whisper. “But every moment with him was worth it.”

The spirit gazed at her with a strange, knowing look. “And now, you must choose. The time has come.”

Amihan’s heart beat slowly as she held the pearl close to her chest. She had given so much, but in the end, it was never enough. The ocean had taken her years, but it had given her something far more precious—one last chance to love, to feel the pull of the tides and the pull of a heart that could never truly leave.

With a final breath, she closed her eyes and let the moonlight carry her to him, her soul now one with the sea, forever bound by the pearls of the moon.