This is the edited version of Count Chapter 3. Hope you enjoy reading. Please READ AND REVIEW. I do not own KHR if I did there would be lemon XD

Countdown

~ The Gesso Mansion~

10 days before Shoichi transfers to Melone Base.

Shoichi's POV

I knocked at the door of Byakuran-san office but he didn't answer. It's weird he usually opens the door quickly when he hears my voice. So I decided to open the door knowing that Byakuran-san won't be mad if I enter his office without permission. I came in only to find out he was not there. I got my cell phone and dialed Byakuran-san number; 10051. After a few ring Byakuran-san did not answer. So I just decided to send him a voice mail. "Byakuran-san if you're playing hide and seek again. I will not find you. So you better tell me where you are right now. Don't forget you have a meeting with the other commanders at five. Also you have to sign these documents concerning the Melone Base in Japan." After saving the voice mail, I dialed his number again; 10051 and press sent. After a few seconds, I heard Byakuran-san phone ring, I followed the noise and there it was buried in a stack of extra-sweet marshmallows his golden colored Iphone 4s. Damn it Byakuran-san what is the use of buying a cell phone when you won't bring it. Great! Now that his cell phone is here. I don't know any other way of knowing where he is. Think, if Byakuran-san is not in his office there are two possibilities; one would be that he his somewhere and doing god knows what or two he is in the Gesso Mansion which by the way is three cities away. Let's try the Gesso Mansion first. I dialed the Gesso Mansion land-line number 51100. It rang and a familiar voice answered on the other line. "Hello, this is the Gesso Residence. What can I do for you?"

It took me a while to recognize that it was John Laidlaw, the Gesso Family head butler that answered the phone. "John?"

"Yes sir, I am John. Is there anything that I can do for you?" He answered as calmly as ever. His voice never changed. He is now 62 years old. Originally he came from Byakuran-san mother side and he served the Gesso Family after Viyana Baron, Byakuran-san mother, married Kuranoske Gesso, Byakuran-san father. I'm still a little bit interested though why, even though he knows Byakuran-san true nature served him so loyally. "Hello?" John asked. "Ah yes. John it's me Shoichi. Do you still remember?"

"Ah" John said happily. "Shoichi-sama. It has been a long time. How have you been?"

"Fine actually. John I don't want to be insulting but I called to ask you. If Byakuran-san is there at the mansion?"

"Byakuran-sama? Yes he is here. He came here this morning. Saying that work is boring him." John laughed. Which confused me, why was he laughing? "Shoichi-sama, after Byakuran-sama said that work was boring him he also told me that I should prepare an excuse to say to you when you called which you did."

Ah! Damn you Byakuran-san. How dare you to tell John to prepare an excuse. "John, tell Byakuran-san to return." John was silent but I could clearly hear that he was humming which meant he was thinking. He stopped humming and said. "Shoichi-sama, as far as I observe from the action of Byakuran-sama today. I think he is not returning so I suggest for you to come here and pick him up yourself." I always hated myself for falling in love with him. I look at my wristwatch and it was already 1:25 p.m. So I decided to pick him up. Really if he keeps doing this then he should have not plan to take over the world! "John, I'm coming over there. I'll be there in thirty minutes. Pick me up at the Gesso Private Airport."

"Yes Shoichi-sama." John answered. I ended the call and dialed the Cervello and told them to prepare my private jet plane which was Byakuran-san Christmas gift to me last year.

Gesso Private Airport, 30 minutes later.

As my private jet plane was landing. I saw John, the same as ever, his white hair neatly arranged and he was wearing the usual butler clothes. His just like your ordinary white haired head butler and he brought the limousine to pick me up as always. I got out and came to John. I smiled and said. "Long time no see John; has it been two or three years?" He bowed his head slightly and said. "It has exactly been three years Shoichi-sama when you and Byakuran-sama moved to the headquarters." He then opened the door of the limousine and it was still the same two couches in the front and back facing each other and two mini couches at the sides also facing each other and in the middle there was a small table that is attached to the limousine so it won't move. It looks more like a mini living room inside the limousine. I went in and John entered at the driver's seat. It was another thirty minute ride to the Gesso Mansion, since its location is outside of the city and the Gesso Private Airport was also outside the city. I took this opportunity to ask John.

"John, I know we just met each other again and I don't want to be rude or anything but this has been bothering me all this time… why…"

"..do I serve Byakuran-sama with utmost loyalty?" John said. He looks at me through the rearview mirror and smiled. I was in complete shock, he completely know what was I going to ask. John laughed and said to me. "Don't be nervous Shoichi-sama. It was quiet obvious what you were going to ask and you are not the first to ask me that."

"So John, since I'm not the first. Can you tell me why?"

"…." He was silent for a few minutes and the only thing I could hear was the noise the limousine gives. I saw as we passed through stores and people in the city. "I guess I should tell you." John said suddenly. "I will tell you." He said again. "I will tell you the reason why I serve the Gesso family with utmost loyalty. Shoichi-sama I will also tell you the most hidden secret of the Gesso family."

"The greatest secret of the Gesso Famiglia?" The Gesso has a secret that they are keeping. Byakuran-san didn't tell me anything about it. "John, why do you know of this secret?"

"Hmm." He smiled sadly and started to tell. "Shoichi-sama. In the years I have serve Byakuran-sama, you are the only person I saw that he treasures the most. So I think you have the right to know everything. I know of the secret since the secret of the Gesso family is connected to the reason why I serve Byakuran-san and the Gesso family with utmost loyalty. It all started when five year old Viyana Baron and her father Sir Baron, who is a well known scientist visited the high school I was attending. They held a meeting with the school faculty and told them that Sir Baron will support one student of the school and send him to a famous school in abroad and that this would raise the reputation of the school so after a little brief discussion the school faculty agreed. To find out who is the deserving student, Sir Baron made a test and whoever gets the highest score will be the student he will support. So when the school announce about the scholarship of Sir Baron I took it as a chance and gave it my all. Thankfully, I was the one that got the highest score and just as announce Sir Baron sent me to school abroad after I graduated high school. Four years past and graduation was near the day before the graduation, Sir Baron told me that the reason why he wanted to support a student because he is in need of an assistant. So after the graduation, he hired me as an assistant and I was able to lift my family from poverty. Viyana treated me as his older brother since she is the only child. Her mother died giving birth to her so I treated Viyana like a younger sister. Years past and Viyana grew into a beautiful young woman and many suitors sought her, but her father rejected everyone. He was very strict on who is to marry her only child. Time then came that Kuranoske Gesso, the young boss of the Gesso Famiglia had to find a wife. So the most trusted members of the famiglia formed a council to list all the most beautiful, and elegant daughters of well known people. From this list, Viyana Baron was picked. The council was mesmerized by Viyana's kind violet eyes and radiant black hair. In short they were attracted to her beauty. Kuranoske was also handsome with red eyes and silvery hair. The council thought they would be a perfect match it also added the Viyana was the daughter of a scientist. So they all agreed the Viyana would be perfect. Viyana like her father is a genius but she was raised like a princess by her father so she doesn't know the ruthless nature of man. The time then came when the council told Sir Baron that her daughter was chosen to be the wife of Kuranoske Gesso. He did not approve of this. He told the council that Viyana is innocent and doesn't know anything about the mafia and the true nature of man, and that Viyana and Kuranoske are complete opposites."

The limousine stopped. "Shoichi-sama let us continue the story telling until next time. Byakuran-sama is here." Indeed Byakuran-san is standing just a few meters away. I did not notice that we had already arrived at the gesso mansion. Really, the gesso mansion really is so majestic. (AN: Please refer to the mansion of Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail. Yeah I know I don't know how to describe a very majestic mansion in which Byakuran-san owned.)

I saw him smiling. I got out of the car and went to him. "Byakuran-san! Why did you leave the headquarters, knowing you have a meeting?" He pouted and hugged me by the waist and whispered in my ear. "Hmmm... I left because I just felt like leaving. Also I wanted to show something to Shou-chan and the only way for you to come here is to force you to come here because of work. Since Shou-chan is a workaholic." I raised an eyebrow. "Really... Byakuran-san! So to sum up what you want to say. You just want to cancel the meeting today with the commanders and do what you want today."

"Yeah!" He said with a straight face. He held my hand and drag me toward the forest that was surrounding the whole mansion and I am really getting annoyed for Byakuran-san always do what he wants and not tell it to anyone. Not that I'm not used to it but really since he is the most he should act like one well, he does act like a boss when it comes to serious matter but he should act serious all the time. Anyway since I was mentally complaining I didn't notice that we had come to some sort of open space in the forest. In the middle of this open space there is a small lake that when the rays of the sun hit the surface of the water they sparkle like diamonds and around the lake there was white lilies. It was so beautiful I did not notice that I have walk a little away from Byakuran-san and when I turned around I saw him smiling. He came into me and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead. He then said softly to me. "Do you like it Shou-chan? John found it a few months ago. That butler really is useful to me as ever." I don't know what came to me but how Byakuran-san said it made me angry.

I pushed him back hard. "Byakuran-san don't say it like that!"

"Hmm... what do you mean Shou-chan?" He replied like always.

"Byakuran-san you know what I meant!"

"Mou.. Shou-chan.. Don't shout." He says while staring at the white lilies. There was a few moments silence and then he turned to me grinning. "Neh… Shou-chan.. You are here to force me back to the headquarters to attend a very very boring meeting. Right?"

I don't know but I really had a bad feeling if I answer his question but since that was I really wanted. "Yes, Byakuran-san I came here for that. So now will you go back?" Byakuran-san violet eyes look at me seriously and I was actually blushing. Why was I blushing? I let my head down a bit so he can't see the blush forming in my cheeks. I heard him chuckled and ask. "What so funny?" His right hand touched my cheeks and he said. "I'll attend the meeting if you promise me you will go out on a date with me tomorrow?"

"What! Byakuran-san I don't have free time like you! I'm busy as hell!" Byakuran-san just sigh and looks at his watch his violet eyes turned to me and said. "You have more than one hour and thirty minutes left to convince me."

"Why the hell should I convince you?" I shouted at him. Byakuran-san sat down and said. "The meeting is about the Melone Base in Japan. So if I don't attend and the meeting got cancelled. You have to reschedule it again since it's very important. So in other words, your job w…"

"I know, I know! sheeeesh… Alright! You win!" I give up. I think the real reason why he let me become his second-in-command is to torture me. I sat beside him. "Byakuran-san can we go now?" He smiled at me and planted a small kiss on my forehead. "Yeah, let's go Shou-chan." We went back to the mansion and Byakuran-san left for the headquarters and I stayed behind. He looks so curious but didn't ask. Well, now that Byakuran-san is gone. I waited for John to return since he was the one who escorted Byakuran-san to the Gesso Private Airport. Thirty minutes later John returned and when he saw me sitting on the couch. I think he had already guessed. He came to me and sat at the couch in front of me. "Shall we continue the storytelling Shoichi-sama?" I nodded.

"Very well then." He made himself comfortable first then he started. "In spite the objections of Sir Baron, the council was determined. Sir Baron was well acquainted of what is really the mafia so Sir Baron told me that, the Gesso Famiglia will do anything to get Viyana even if it means to kill him. So before that happened that since that the enemy is a mafia and he is just a scientist he has no way to fight back. So he made me promise to take care of Viyana. After that there was an accident in Sir Baron laboratory and he died. I knew then that I had to keep the promise. Instead of Viyana it was me that talk to the council. I became Viyana secretary if you might say. So Viyana and Kuranoske married and after 2 years. Viyana gave birth to Byakuran-sama. The only problem is Viyana did not fall in love with Kuranoske and neither did Kuranoske. So they just married without love. So after Viyana gave birth, she fell in love with one of the staff of this very mansion. Kuranoske also fell in love with another woman and this went on until Byakuran-san fifteenth birthday. You know the rest Shoichi-sama." I look at him shocked. "I don't get it. Why are you so loyal to Byakuran-san?"

"Hmm.." John looks at the window. "What would you become if you grew up in an illusionary family that you know is an illusion and had live with it for fifteen years?" When John said that I couldn't answer but there was a word in my head and that is warped. John stood up from the couch and said. "It was pity for Byakuran-sama that made me loyal to him." With that John left. Feeling tired and confused. I texted Byakuran-san that I would be staying in the Gesso Mansion for the night and he replied real quickly that he'll come back since he doesn't want me to forget about the date. Like I can.

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