This is the last one shot of this collection that I will upload. (I had fun writing and sharing the one shots, but it is no fun to be ignored all the time. So I will stop uploading - it is better for me that way. Sorry.)

Thanks to everyone who were nice enough to leave a review. Every single one - be it a long or a short one - made me so happy!

(And for those who also read my other stories. There will be either a new chapter by "Happiness" or "A reality based on fantasy" next, but I will focus on another project which I neglected for about a year.)

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Working until the moon and the stars were up was nothing new or unusually for Hakuryuu. It had become better over time. After the world was freed from destiny he had gotten back his title as emperor and the reconstruction of the Kou Empire was still going on. Since they had more freedom now things had become easier, but working until midnight or even past it was not unusual.

On his way back to his bedroom he took a short moment to look up at the clear night sky. It made him remember a time when he was also on his way back from work to his room and made a short stop to look at the sky. Back then he had seen his wife in her room looking up at the sky as well and decided to pay her a visit. He brought tea and some sweets with him. It had been the first time for him to enter her bedroom and he felt a little bit strange. It had felt wrong. But she hadn't mind and even told him to sit down next to her so they could watch the stars together. After a short silence she had started to talk about stellar constellations, astronomy in general and the universe. He had just listened to her and had been amazed about how much she knew. He knew from the first time they had met that she was a very well-versed person. She had taught him so much and he was sure there were a lot of people that could learn so much from her. Unfortunately, she often kept things to herself because she didn't like talking and sometimes was just too shy or thought that people might be annoyed by her. Contradictory to that she could be very loud and furious when someone stuck in her craw. It was the best to not be on her bad side!

It turned out that she and the husband of her "wife" had often looked at the night sky and he then would tell her all kind of stories connected to the stars and the moon.

She told him some of those stories. He just listened. She had a calming voice. He would never admit it, but back then he had almost fallen asleep. Not because he was bored or anything, but because her voice was so calming and her furniture was so comfortable and yes he had been tired as well. Still, he kept himself awake to hear her stories. He always would listen to her stories no matter what. They were important to her and for whatever reason they became important to him too.

"Say, Hakuryuu, do you read books?"
He had been puzzled by her question at first.
Of course he read books! How else should he do his work? He had to read so many things and books were one of them.
"Of course I do."
"Do you also read novels?"
"No."
When he had been a little child his mother had read them to him. But after the fire incident the only books and stories he read and heard were about the history of the Empire, about wars, economics and all those things.
"I love reading them. And I love love stories. But you know what?"
"What?"
"I never really understand and liked how the female character most of the time falls in love with the male character that saved her and then was referring to him as the sun. I mean, I have nothing against one falling in love with their savoir, it is just that it often is so predictable and the involvement of other character are ignored. I hate it when the achievements and the work of others are ignored and just one person gets credit, especially when that character gets credit for things they haven't done."
Hakuryuu hadn't been sure what to respond to this, but he had to say something.
"That's understandable, I guess. I wouldn't like that, you know being ignored or that someone gets credit for things I achieved. No one would like that, I guess."
She just smiled at him.

"I think it is stupid to refer to someone as the sun. Have you ever tried to look at the sun? One cannot. It hurts! Why would one want someone they cannot even look at? How can you love someone you cannot look at? Why would one want a relationship in which one put the other one above oneself? Shouldn't a relationship be about equality?"
He agreed with her.
"I prefer the moon. I want someone to be my moon, not my sun."
He had asked her why.
"Simple, the moon stays with you. You can look at the moon without being hurt. The moon is there when everything is dark. He will guide you through the darkness with a gentle light. He let you decided how deep you want to go into the darkness or the light. He helps you to be not afraid of the darkness. The sun is a lie. She is only by your side when everything is bright, but as soon as the darkness comes she leaves you alone, let others do the work to get you out of there and then acts as if everything is fine. The sun only shows you the cruel world unmindful of your feelings. The moon on the other hand let you decided how much you can bear. The sun is egoistic! She is not a companion for all the good and bad times because she is only there during the good times. She will leave one as soon as trouble is near. And you know what? The moon is not alone. The moon is accompanied by the stars. Even when the moon cannot reach you, the stars are there to help and guide you. You know, you can find your way through the world with the stars as compass. But the sun does not accept someone next to her. She wants you to depend only on her! She wants all the credit for herself! She does not want you to have others at your side! The sun is cruel, false and egoistic! I think the moon is better! But unfortunately, most people think the sun is better."
"Maybe because when the sun is up all the bad things do not exist? People are afraid of the dark, so when the sun is shining there is no darkness."
His wife was silent for a moment and thought about his words.
"That's not true. Bad things happen at night and even during daytime. Bad things always happen! And there is darkness during the day! Think about all the side allies. The sun does not always reach them as well, so they are dark. The sun and the light she brings are just a lie. People are just blinded by her."
Hakuryuu had never really thought much about such things. Why should he? He never had a reason to do so and there never had been a moment that had imprinted such a thought into his mind. Why should it even be important whether someone refers to someone else as sun or moon?
It had took him a while until he really understood the meaning of her words.
"I want someone to be my moon, not my sun. I do not need the sun."
Hakuryuu needed the sun. He had been in the cold and dark for so long that he wanted to get out of there. But he also never had a moon or stars to guide him. It didn't matter who or what helped him out of his loneliness, the darkness and the pain as long as he finally could find peace.

Hakuryuu hadn't been able to sleep much that night. Her words wouldn't get out of his mind and they actually never left him. Even today he thought about them from time to time.
So whenever he took a moment to look up at the night sky, look up at the moon and the stars he thought about that night with his wife. That night had been the start of him falling in love with the moon, the stars and the night.