Hi all, this is my first Saiunkoku fanfic. I fell in love with the characters, especially Kouyuu, so I just had to write about it. This story picks up after the ending of the second season of the anime and has some slight differences to the plot of the story which might not be noticeable to anyone who hasn't read the novel of Saiunkoku. Enjoy!

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Important note: the last name of the yellow clan and the red clan is both spelled as "Kou" To avoid any confusion, I shorted the yellow clans name to the "ko" clan.

Japanese translation:

Sama-and honorific

Bara-Rose

Tsuki-moon

Hime-Princess

Summary of story: A girl shows up at Houju's door one day. Her name is Miyu, a member of his clan. After an embarrassing encounter with Kouyuu, he ends up being the girl's tutor for the official exam. Houju claims that the girl is merely here to be an official, but in reality, she was forced here to find a fiance. That apparently wasn't what the girl had in mind however, and her presence becomes tangles with the life of the others in saiunkoku.

Prologue:

In the legend, bara-hime was a beauty that rivaled the moon. We all have heard of the story of the kou clan immortal, bara-hime. Now it's time for the legend of the Ko clan immortal, the only other whose beauty rivaled that of the rose princess. This is the story of tsuki-hime.

Kou Houju, chief minister of department of treasury and taxation, sighs as he heads home from another one of his late night duties. It seems his work is never-ending due to the shortages on competent staff and work just keeps piling up. Looking forward to a rest, however short, in his mansion was cut short as his carriage pulls into the view of his front gate to reveal a hooded figure leaning against it. Whoever it was has been there for some times considering the amount of snow covering the wearer's cape. The figure stirred and looked up as the carriage comes to a halt in front of the gate. A pair of clear blue eyes greeted Houju as he came to approach the figure. Faint recognition came to Houju as she smiled warmly at him despite the cold. "Houju-sama…"

1 month later…..

"Houju, don't you think you're overdoing this?" Reishin asked as Houju sets aside a heavy stack of paper.

"What are you talking about?" Houju asked annoyed at his so-called friend for disrupting his work.

"I'm talking about this!" Reishin points accusingly at the huge stack of paper that Houju had just set aside. "To work so much to the extent of taking your work home, do you even sleep?"

"I didn't know you cared." Houju stated dryly at the mention of his well-being.

"I don't." was Reshin's curt response.

'Of course'

Reishin was about to yell at his friend again when Houju's assistant, Chamberlin Kei decided it was best to interfere. "Actually, despite him taking home a load of work, Houju's been able to leave the palace earlier and he doesn't look as tired these days."

Houju sighed. If he doesn't shut Reishin up somehow, he WILL have to stay late tonight. It matters not if he tells Reishin the reason, Reishin will meet the girl sooner or later.

"If you want to know so much." Houju cuts in before Reishin decides to direct his anger on chamberlin Kei, "there's a freeloader at my house who's been working for me as payment to stay at my residence."

Reishin turns his attention back to the masked official. Strange. Why would Houju bother taking someone in to his place?

As if reading the question from his friends face, Houju gave Reishin the briefest explanation he could think of, hoping to get rid of the annoying Kou Clan Head. "If you're that interested in my life, you can drop by my residence later. Now why don't you leave, go back to your department, and actually work for once in your life?"

"Hmph. I refuse to slave my life away for the stupid emperor."

"Just leave."