Title: Against All Odds
Plot Writer: NerdyInuProductions
Manga/Anime: Skip Beat
Status: Complete
Disclaimer: I don't own this Anime, Manga and its characters, but I proudly own the Plot and the Story which I thought and loved to share, hope you give me some reviews and tell me what you think.
Salamat!
"Boss, called?" Ren Tsuruga leaned back to his sofa trying to peek at his girlfriend cooking in his apartment kitchen.
"Yes, he did. While you were in the shower" she replied while chopping some vegetables.
"What did he say, or need?"
"He got us a new role" she blushed and stopped chopping, Ren grinned and walked to where she is, and hugged her from behind, she leaned in and sighed in content.
"What's the role about?" he asked.
"Don't know, but he sent me a file earlier and told me to let you listen to it" with that he pulled her to the living room and made her sit on his lap, he pulled out his laptop and let her log in with her account.
Pressing download they waited for a few minutes until they started to watch, Ren found a familiar figure wearing fitting cargo shorts, hoodie, a reversed ball cap and matching high top shoes with his mother's brand.
The lyrics hit him, it was a hip-hop genre and the figure is rhyming in fast words, Ren or rather Koun is hit as the lyrics is being shot at him, "I grew up the same as you, bullied and pointed as a kid. I was tiny back then and tottering following the same steps, behind the same giant shadow that you started to out grew" his back ground is a small stage he's being crowded by guys wearing the same thing, all in hip-hop clothing, below the stage is a an audience, he looked like he was having a battle.
"Well guess what I defied all odds despite the challenge, while you strayed and changed names, while here I am stayed in the same last name. I climbed my way to respect and be known with my own name." the lyrics hit him hard.
"Come out of your closet, mom is waiting, crying, hoping, asking, wishing and coping for your sake, while here I am begging and asking when's my brother coming home."
"Come out of your closet because I did, I endured the same things the same pain the same fingers that had been pointing"
"If I defied all odds, then I know you will too" the last part got him all tears up, he did not imagine his young brother has experienced the same bullying and the same experience as him.
Kyoko knows Ren is Koun and when in private she calls him Corn, and she is aware that the guy rapping, it was his seventeen years old little brother Koudi, she is aware that his brother went famous months ago after the release of his first music, which called 'Foot Steps' and baby videos of him and little Koun were there, after the release of his second rap song, 'Against All Odds' they instantly knew he was pointing at the older brother in his first music video and the Hizuris have two children.
"Maybe it's time to tell everyone who I am" she looked shocked at her boyfriend.
"What brought this up?" she asked.
"Koudi is telling me to grow some balls and defy what I fear, besides I already established a name for myself" he told.
"I'm glad he pushed you" she smiled and he leaned in for a kiss.
"Let's tell the president tomorrow?" he asked and she nodded, Ren leaned in again to kiss her when his phone rings.
He growled and she giggled, "I'll get back to dinner, you take that call first"
"I'll be quick" he told.
Ren groaned when it was the president, "Did you watch?" he immediately asked.
"I did… and I decided" he sighed, it was the hardest but he needs to, his brother suffered but he avoided, all the things that had happened about Rick, his past and everything, but his brother sucked it up, grew some balls and climb his way up in respect, while he used other names to get on his way, "I'll announced I'm Koun Hizuri, but I need your help"
"Splendid boy!" cheered by the President, "I know he pushed you, besides I called because Koudi-boy is heading to Japan for his collaboration music with our talents, Yuuri Katsuki, Yuuto Ayase and Theo Cornaro! It's a pop hip-hop mix, I think! But it was your entire father's idea!" Ren surprised, "And guess what he'll be collaborating on Ayase-san's new song, and you both are taking the role of the older couple~ isn't that sweet? You and Kyoko-chan in an MV where young children who fell for puppy love going to adulthood falling in love all over again?" he squealed fanboying.
"I like that" he chuckled, "What's the song called?"
"Puppy Love" Lory continued to squeal.
After a while Kyoko joined them and the couple ate dinner in the living room while talking to their boss in regards to Ren's further plans.
A week passed and the Ren's revelation about his real identity went as planned, they got Amou Nami to join them in their plot, since she is the host of the most controversial talk show where many celebrities got their secrets revealed either purposely or had been plotted as a trap for them.
However Ren willingly told everyone he is the eldest son of the Hollywood power couple and he revealed himself as a way of compensating to his family, especially his mother which his brother pointed as the person who is the most broken about Ren's hiding.
He gained courage because of Koudi and his words to him, "I know I hurt him, he looked up to as a child, he would tail me where ever I go and would cry when I leave. I love him because he's so special to me. It hurt when I left but I need to, I need to look for myself and strive and I had to make a name for myself, and I did. I'm proud of him because he hot bigger balls than I do. He kept our name while going up the ranks gaining respect, while here I am in need to hid in other's name" he told.
His fans were all proud of Ren revealing his real identity and it made his career even bigger after he gained more fans knowing he is a Hizuri.
Presently Ren wearing his Koun get up, his white dress shirt covered with his high collar leather jacket, fitting pants and his casual oxfords. Sporting his aviator sunglasses matching Kyoko's, Jelly kept on getting them to match as much as possible to get them both in the good side of the headlines when they are always caught together.
Both holding hands waiting by the waiting lobby of the airport, waiting for the Hizuris to arrive since the older couple had their own agenda in regards to their own career, Julie having her fashion show in the weekend and demanded her eldest son and soon-to-be-daughter-in-law to be her main models, Kuu on the other hand has his guesting to one of the top rom-com-sitcom show as his character in his Hollywood series The Crowells, where his son Koudi is also a cast as Marcus playing his son as well.
Cameras flashing left and right at the couple, "Thank goodness Jelly-san gave us these sunglasses" she sighed.
"Well, you better get used to this they whispered at each other, Ren putting his arm around her shoulder in a protective manner as they sat, he was fighting the urge to pull her to his lap.
His arm around her and his hand hanging by her shoulder, Kyoko took his hand and laced their fingers together and she leaned her head to his shoulder while he did the same to her head, she would turn and giver her temple pecks which was sweet and they would exchange words when she grew board, after her sigh, Ren pulled out his smartphone and let her play with his downloaded games, the paparazzi were all amazed that the rumored playboy is letting his girlfriend play and use his phone.
When the security told the couple that the private jet from LA has landed, the couple stood and headed to the arrival area, they were followed by Lory's hired security and so as Sebastian.
Moments later Julie and Kuu appeared with their own baggage being pushed by their bodyguards, Julie held her eldest son tightly missing him dearly for many years, Kyoko was smothered by her with motherly love when the young girls started screeching and squealing blowing the roof of the Narita to explode.
Koudi pulling his camouflage colored trolley baggage, wearing his usual get up, a pair of high top shoes with a Velcro strap by the ankle, his plain black shirt with black rubberized print of his mother's brand but with his clothing line logo, platinum black colored monster Beats pro headphones trapping his reversed net ball cap with his mother's brand and his logo at the side the same goes for his fit cargo shorts.
He ignored the girls who wanted to swarm him, on his back is his computer back pack and on his front is his jungle green colored single sling tactical bag, it matched his computer back pack.
Ren chuckled since the boy never changed his facial expression, still that expressionless look being covered by his clubmaster prescription glasses.
"Koudi" Ren opened his arm for a hug when the boy shook his head, Kyoko giggled when Ren felt rejected.
Ren remembered when he left, his little brother wasn't even as tall as his chest, and now the boy outgrew the twenty years old man.
Ren was happy to see his family again, Kuu pulled his family for a hug, for the first time in years he gets to hug all the members of his family of four, now five as Kyoko is now a member of his family.
They headed back to Ren's three bedroom apartment, it wouldn't be a problem since he and Kyoko are sharing a room and she's comfortable with his touches.
The older couple is understood to share a room since they had been married for a long time, while the youngest liked to have his alone moments and would like to have his own.
But because Julie demanded she wanted to have all of them like the old times, the family are all in the guest room Kuu sleeping on his side, Julie and Kyoko are bonding over all Julie's presents to her while Ren came to bother his baby brother who's typing on his screen detachable laptop, with his monster pro attached to its jack, both are sprawled on the foam mattress bellow the side of the bed on Kuu's side lain on the floor.
Ren out of happiness pulled out his phone and pulled a selfie as it was their first family candid picture with Kyoko.
Kuu sleeping peacefully, Julie pounced over her sleeping husband and behind her leaning is Kyoko, Koudi on the floor mattress with his laptop wearing his baggy shirt, fuzzy colorful socks and jogger shorts matching Ren's minus the socks and tank top, immediately he uploaded it.
As expected his fans lost it.
With all the fun things Ren had been posting for days his fans together with Kyoko's fans are having their field day with all the fun pictures especially with the Hizuri couple included, but what made it fun is the neutral faced Hizuri who would pose but refused to show any expression to the pictures, and he can be seen always with his computer on his lap, his phone on his chest, iPad air beside him and a headphone on his head, or eather stuffing his face in the kitchen while Kyoko cooks.
Currently Ren and Kyoko are being grilled by the Ishibashi brothers in their show and Bo the Chicken comically kept on stealing her and shooing Ren away from her.
Until Sho Fuwa showed up together with Vie Ghoul members including Reino, Koun came out and pulled Kyoko to his lap and secured her, the hosts mused until, "Another guests are joining us tonight, they are also musicians and song writers, probably the youngest in this batch" they told.
"Please welcome Tokyo Dogs!" on cue three young boys went out, wearing ring the same style of outfit as Koudi except they are not wearing shorts but pants, instead of a ball cap one wearing beanie while the other a normal cap.
"Welcome to the show, Yuuri-kun, Theo-san and Ayase-kun!" welcomed by Hikaru and they gave him a knuckle bump which the other returned.
"Congratulations on your new album! And it was even made better when the Japanese Yankee joined you guys!" he complimented.
"That's his new name?" Ren piped in, in his amusement.
"Japanese Yankee" said by the three host.
"Well, President called him that and announced it as his title since he's a Japanese guy in America and the same time he's all American" explained by Theo.
"The shrug that sometimes ticks me off, he got it from you" accused Kyoko to Ren who laughed at her accusation.
"And because the Tokyo Dogs are out, without further delay, please welcome the Son of the Rising Sun, Koudi!" with his usual cargo shorts matching his white hoodie and rent ball cap with his headphone by his neck, he went out and they mused seeing him with a bag of chips in his hand.
"Told you he's head out with a stuffing in his mouth" told Ren snorting.
"Don't make me burn you" replied by his brother which was funny in many ways.
The beat of his song played in the background while he makes his way to the stage, a microphone on hand he joined the guys with the same genre as him.
They tackled more topic in regards to Ren and Kyoko's role on the young artists' MV, and they showed the beautiful and sweet scenes from the MV.
Ren and Kyoko as adults meeting and smiling at each other, sharing dinner, the sofa cuddle scene, car scene, and because they wanted to make it more special they went to Kyoko's old home town where she and her corn met by the stream, both remade their scene there where he proposed and had his kissing scene.
"This is why I don't work with real life couples sometimes" Ogata said after the scene since the two continued to kiss, actually it was in the script as they wanted to add a bit of comedy at the end.
"Can I have food now?" that was not part of the script but they included Koudi's demand since it was funny.
"My favorite scene is where me and Kyoko are back to that stream, as children we had met there, she was crying and she thought I was a fairy because I was blonde" he chuckled and she pouted, he leaned in and kissed her.
Sho kept on glaring together with Reino, "It was nostalgic and really memorable" he pulled her close to him which she held him by his torso in a half hug.
The talk went on until they went to Koudi, "Can we know the story behind 'Against All Odds?' we know it's about Tsuruga-san but the fact what made you push to write it?"
"As a kid, I stumbled on a music from eight mile, Eminem to be exact, I liked all his music despite the profanities, then I told myself, why not write something that can relate to your life making your brother understand he's not alone on all those trash that had happened to his life, I mean I got bullied because I'm the son of Kuu Hizuri and Juliana Hizuri, they accused me of being spoiled, people expect me to be an actor just like him or a guy in fashion industry like mom, there is a lot of words going around. But what pushed me to write and make the music is because of mom, seeing her sad missing Koun, dad looking at our childhood pictures I told myself, why not tell my brother to grow some balls because I grew up having two and sucked up all the trash people tells me" he explained.
"And balls I grew" teased his brother.
"And it took you years and needed my harsh words too?" replied by his brother burning him, "Oh… did that burn, or do you need me to get you a cold water too?"
"That's a mic drop worthy" laughed Sho in amusement at the younger Hizuri.
"But I chose the genre of hip-hop because it's my personality, I like it and the same time, my friends tells me I'm like a dictionary where words that rhymes comes out naturally"
"It really does fit you, Koudi-kun, I mean sometimes I find you like a savage poet whenever you try to burn the president or Kajima-san" Kyoko snorted.
"Savage Poet…" he laughed, "Nice one" and he gave her a high five.
When the segment came one, Bo went out wearing the same thing as Koudi, Koudi looked horrified staring at the huge Roster.
Ren and Kyoko together with the others lost it laughing, he even gave a pose which made the Japanese American artist a trauma, "Dude, do me a favor and take that off. You look like a feathered bozo. Take no offense though but you're better suited as a fast food mascot rather than a feathered cargo shorts wearing mascot, because all I can see now is a big feathery blow" it rhymed which made it even funnier, "If you tell me I wear the same thing, trust me I'm already aware. But guess what, my mom said cargo is my thing"
"I was about to call a game but Koudi-san already dropped the mic on us" laughed by Shinichi.
"Oh I did?" he asked not aware.
"So who's going against him?" Ren asking and Kyoko kept on giggling hiding her laughter nuzzling her nose to his sleeve.
The three boys from the Tokyo Dogs shook their heads, and then Ren looked at Sho who looked away, the band on the other hand tried to avert their attention in another way, "Looks like you're the winner by default bud" said Ren in English.
"Do I get food as price or I get the mascot to be fried?" with that the poor Chicken hid behind Yuusei.
Before the show ended, Vie Ghoul played their latest son which topped the chart in their genre and so did Sho in his own Genre.
"Well, TG has their new music added to their album featuring Son of the Rising Sun Koudi and it is titled?" asked Shinichi.
"Wingman" the three said, and on cue the lights went dim and showed on the screen the MV, the scenes were taken in a school and the story revolves on four friends, where one, Theo is in-love with a blonde girl, which he revealed his off screen girlfriend and also a model, Yuuto, Yuuri and Koudi who doesn't even care tried to play cupid in the MV. But they were required to perform for the show, and they did.
Theo and Yuuto are the harmony part of the song while Yuuri and Koudi are in the rapping part however Koudi's part has a mix of Japanese and English which made it more click to the top chart.
Ren and Kyoko were the main guests who came to the show first helped the show to close the program.
To the Hizuris 'delight Ren managed to convince his brother to sign a contract to LME, however he gave one condition, he wanted to be a solo artist rather than to be with a group, he is much used to it.
Ren and Kyoko are currently in the president's office and they were stifling their laughter seeing Sebastian wearing a jersey jacket over his shirt and he's wearing fit jogger pants with his high top shoes, with his shades in place matching the president who's the same get up as Koudi with his signature hoodie.
"Off with that get up or get burned bad enough you want to question your entire existence" he threatened and Ren got it all in his phone.
"You better comply what the kid says, boss" snorted by Kuu who's present.
Ren having his family present makes him happy especially his brother who inspired him after knowing the boy defied all the odds in his life which he decided to evade by running away.
~END~