A Life stolen
Summary: for most of Kouki life, he had been slaving away under the desert sun, having been kidnapped from his family and sold as a slave but unlike others in his situation. He didn't break. He kept on believing that one day he would get back to them and thought they were still looking for him. Only to escape and find out, his identity had not only been stolen but his own family had been taking care of the wrong child for the last 9 years.
This one-shot was on my phone and then for some reason I deleted it so I had to redo this again.
I do not own skip beat.
Enjoy!
Koun Hizuri age 10, eyed his two year old little brother curiously, wondering how someone could be so small, the toddler was named Kouki Hizuri and his arrival had come as a shock to the whole family.
Koun was puzzled about how his parents even had time to make a baby when they were so busy all the time, sometimes being gone for a few months.
His mother was probably the most shocked one of them all, when she found that she was pregnant with another baby boy, what followed next was his father going on a huge shopping spree, buying anything that had the word 'baby' on it and coming home with about ten giant teddy bears and about a hundred baby toys.
Koun know his future sibling would be spoiled rotten by them, that and he was going through the problems of being thought of as a big brother. Don't get me wrong, Koun had always dreamed of having a little sibling to play with and keep him company while his parents were away and now he was terrified at being looked up to by someone so little.
As the months flow by, it was like his parents had come from the Planet 'wacko and Hyper' as both of them were running around, buying things, they never want anywhere without each other and he was expected to follow.
And then one day, all the madness stopped.
Koun had finally met his little brother.
The baby was tiny and cute.
The baby would have been bald if not for the few blond hair strands on his head.
The boy looked at him curiously when he came into view as if he was a creature he had never seen before and offered up a smile to him.
Koun had quickly decided then and there that his little brother was cute, as soon as Kouki learned to walk, the toddler took to following him everywhere like a baby duck to his mother much to his embarrassment when photos were taking every time, Kouki latched him and never failed to make him smile whenever he was feeling sad.
Perhaps, it was easier than he thought to be thought as a big brother.
Than disaster struck.
Kouki had been kidnapped.
The family had gone on a trip to Egypt, it was supposed to be their first trip out as a family since Kouki was born and the toddler was practically bouncing around in excitement, with energy only little children had.
His father like always wanted them to experience the outdoors.
If he know what would happen because of such a decision, he would have demanded that they sleep in a well-protected hotel instead of in tents on the sandy floor.
But he didn't.
So in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep.
Kouki was kidnapped.
When they woke up, there was no sign of their youngest family member in sight, making them all immediately go into panic mood.
Both his parents were on the phone to numerous of people within seconds when it became clear that Koike was hiding somewhere in the tent, only to find out that information had been withheld from them.
The place they slept in was known for people disappearing, the reason it was kept from them was because both Kuu and Julie were huge celebrities with lots of money and would bring business to the small town.
Koun had never seen his father look so mad before in his life.
There was numerous of search parties sent to try and track down his brother but they all came up short.
They all had to face the truth.
Kouki was gone.
# 9 years later#
In a very hot place in Egypt sat a group of slaves and slave masters, the slaves were made to dig into the sand looking for any underground tombs that may hold riches.
The slaves ranged from the elderly to young.
People had been either sold or kidnapped from their families to become slaves but once you were a slave, you were stripped from your own identity and instead were referred to as a number, many of them had giving up of ever escaping and just want with it, some had been a slave for so long that they could no longer remember a life that they weren't slaves, a lot want mad under the desert heat.
But one was different.
He was a boy thin for his age, he had short blond dusty hair and hazel eyes.
This was the boy who used to be known as Kouki Hizuri but to everyone he was called 4809 and he remembered.
He remembered ever since he found himself in a cage away from his family, he held onto the memories connected to his identity, for a time, he refused to answer to the number he was giving but that quickly changed under a lot of harsh beatings.
He know what his family would think if they found him, looking so skinny and unwashed to the point of worry.
Kouki remembered, his mother soft voice singing to him, whenever she had time before he want to bed.
He remembered, his father being over the top and kept on coming home with gift to add to his already giant collection and he remembered his big brother.
The brother who he clung to and would play with him when he asked and Koike in return would always try and make him smile whenever Koun was remaindered of the pressure he was under to succeed their father.
It was because of those little snippets of memory, that he didn't go insane when everyone else did, he didn't give into despair and lose his self-worth, whenever he felt sad, he would always think of his family face as he ran up to them.
He know that they would go to the ends of the earth and back to find him, all he had to do was get to Japan and contact his uncle Lory and the rest would follow.
That's why for 9 years he had been planning his escape.
He had managed to get through to one of his slave master, who couldn't hid his guilt and together they planned for an escape and he would finally be reunited with his family.
So at high noon when the son was the highest and all the slaves were called in to drink.
He struck.
He grabbed a plastic basket and swung it to the left, where one of the slaves master where.
Everyone was stunned at his sudden action which he used to his full advantage and before the rest could grab him and give him a wipe lashing.
He ran like his life depended on it, it was hard being chained up but he climbed into the back of the truck.
"DRIVE!" he said and the man who was called 'Kyle' immediately drove while the other's slave master looked at the betrayal right in front of their eyes and began to fire their guns.
But it was too late.
They were already gone.
Koike climbed into the front seat where Kyle unchained him after they were a good distance away.
Next stop Japan.
#5 hours later#
Kyle Carr looked at the skinny child next to him, who hadn't slept since he started driving.
He couldn't help but feel; guilt wash over him, to think he was beating the same kid with a whip a couple of month ago.
Kyle had grown up into a dangerous part of desert, poverty was everywhere and there was only two options in life.
Become a slave to the rich or become a Slave master and rule over the slaves but answer to the rich and powerful, either way, you were still suffering.
Every slave he had met, he couldn't help but see eyes full of disappear, to be a slave was to be the lowest of the low, there was no such thing as human rights when you're sold to those in power.
Even knowing that his job was horrible, he was by far the kindest of the lot, he had seen how other's treated slaves and it disgusted him.
Then he met the boy.
The boy was about six at the time but the boy clearly hadn't been broken in, his eyes were brimming with life and glared at anyone who dared to touch him.
But Kyle know that the boy would become broken eventually.
They all did.
It was only a matter of time before the boy succumbed to despair and would do anything just to stay alive for another day, so he waited.
And waited.
Weeks turned into months and the boy still held strong.
Kyle couldn't help but look at the boy in awe.
What was keeping the boy so strong willed when other's had broken around him?
The answer?
Family.
The boy had people to come back to.
And it was only a matter of time before the boy gets himself killed, trying to escape to get back home.
Everyone else had lost hope of ever seeing their families again but the boy held strong, believing that one day, he would get back to his family and be pulled into the most bone crushing hug.
The more he watched the boy, the more he couldn't help but admire him, the boy refused to break under the hot sun and harsh treatment.
So Kyle did something crazy.
He had come up to the boy and offered him assistance to escape so that the boy could run back home.
After all, he hated his job.
Kyle had finally saved enough money to get out of the country and make a clean break for freedom and he will be damned if he let a boy who was trying so hard to get back to his family die over some plan that would guarantee his death with little to no chance of survival.
Understandably the boy was weary of him since he had been one of the boy's tormentors in the past, a fact he wasn't proud of, it had taken him a year before the boy started to trust him, sneaking him food and water when the other's weren't looking.
Together they formed a better plan to escape the blazing desert and run.
They would go to Japan and then go their separate ways.
The boy would go find his family while Kyle, himself didn't know what to do after that.
Perhaps he'll settle in the states since there was more chances to get a decent job without having a guilty mind behind your every move.
It was certainly a shock to him to find out the boy still remembered his own name when, from what he heard, the child had become a slave at two.
An age where a normal person wouldn't remember anything of their life before the age of 5.
The boy he was helping was called Kouki, Kouki Hizuri.
A name that made his eyes widen.
Hadn't a family some years back, practically turned the whole desert over to search for their missing family member?
Could Koike be that family member?
If so, than there was no telling what the family would do when they learn where their missing family had been and how he was treated.
Kyle, just hoped that the boy put in a good word for him.
Kyle drove for a couple of hours before boarding a boat to Japan, the boy didn't dare to fall asleep, he was clearly tired but the kid eyes were wide open, up until he saw the sight of Japan with his own eyes and they drove onto Japan soil before they dropped off like a rock.
Kyle quickly carried the boy to a nearby motel, in a motel nobody asks questions, when a man appears carrying a small boy looking like he had just been through hell and back.
The receptionist quickly gave him the keys as soon as they saw the money.
Kouki was out like a light and Kyle know the boy need to be freshen up before even thinking about taking a step outside and the boy tiny frame was still too skinny, at the most, he needed to hid the less than ideal frame of someone who was turning twelve in a few days.
So Kyle went out and brought some clothes for the boy ranging from small to larger, the boy was a whole foot shorter than he should be for his age.
Koike was shocked to wake up with a pair of clean clothes near him and a nice scent in the air, he thought he was dreaming, there was no way any of the slave masters would cook such a nice meal. Koike was convinced he would wake up and see he was still in that beat up tent and be smacked awake for another harsh day in the sun.
Instead he didn't wake up and was staring down a bowel of cereal.
"Eat" Kyle said, "I suggest you eat as much as you can if you're going to be strong enough to seek your uncle out."
Kouki looked at the bowl as if he expected the man to poison it before taking a spoon and gulping down the cereal like it was his last meal and every drop counted.
"I'll be back, just try not to look so skinny" Kyle said, as the boy gave him a look before looking at the small tiny fridge.
Kyle got up and put on his coat.
Koike didn't see Kyle for the rest of the day and the man came back late at night.
Koike didn't know that the man was getting information around, after all, he had to find out the situation in Japan before Koike can even think of approaching a family member.
Like if Koike Hizuri had been proclaimed dead.
#A couple of days later#
Koike was finally allowed outside the motel, Japan as a whole seemed to have gone into festival mood, he never thought anything about it since it was his birthday.
All that was on his mind was that he finally looked healthy enough to not attract stares from people on the street and could go and find his Uncle's at last.
"Koike" Kyle said seeing the boy practically rush to the door.
"Yes." Koike said turning around, impatiently.
"Make sure, you put a good word for me to your parents" Kyle said, cheekily.
Koike rolled his eyes but gave his first smile in years before walking out in a hoody and jeans.
Just then Kyle phone rang in his pocket and he took out his phone and answered.
"What!" Kyle yelled, he was suddenly, alarmed.
"What do you mean Kouki Hizuri has been with his family for the past 9 years?"
Kyle chased after the boy before dread could set in.
# Koike#
Koike felt his heart pound in his ears, the mere thought of meeting his family again sent him buzzing with joy.
He had made it this far and he would be damned if he stopped now due to nerves.
He was going to see his over the top father, again.
He was going to see his loving mother.
He was going to see his overprotective, bother.
He could practically see their smiles face just waiting for him.
Something caught his eye and he stopped.
Koike couldn't help but turn to see a huge banner followed by acts of all kind going down the street, what really caught his attention was what was written in gold on the banner.
'Happy 12th Birthday. Kouki Hizuri'.
Huh? Was his first thought before he was swept up in a crowd of people towards the centre of the town.
Before he even know what was happening, he was standing in front of a grand stage, presents were piled high behind it, it was so high in fact that it was threatening to invade the steps to the stage.
His uncle Lory was the first to make a grand appearance.
The man was practically beaming and glowing and didn't look like a man who had lost his god son for almost a decade.
"PEOPLE OF JAPAN!" The man voice spread across the large crowd, "TODAY WE CELEBRATE MY GOD SON SPECIAL BIRTHDAY! TEN YEARS AGO, HE WAS TAKEN BUT 9 YEARS AGO HE WAS FOUND!"
WAIT- WHAT!? Koike thought in shock.
Suddenly a boy that could have easily been mistaken as an offspring of Kuu and Juliena Hizuri walked onto the stage, he and Koike looked about the same age and the smile on his face was huge along with a big blush.
Koike felt his heart stop at the sight of the boy but it kicked into overdrive when his uncle grouched down and gave the boy a hug that clearly conveyed love.
Then came his own parents looking proud and happy and gave their own hugs before saying embracing words about the child they believed to be their son.
Even going as far as recalling happy memories of the years making up for the time spent away from their son.
The memories made with a person who was not him.
Koike shook in denial.
No.
This was a lie.
His parents had been waiting for him to come home ever since he was kidnapped.
His own family had been waiting for him to come back.
Than his brother and his new wife showed up and the world shattered around him.
Koun with Kyoko came up to the boy who wasn't him and gave him their own bear hug.
"Happy birthday, Koike" Koun said, smiling at the boy who wasn't him.
"Thanks Nii-san" The boy who wasn't him said.
"He's a parents from both of us" Kyoko said, with a smile giving him a big box and the boy who wasn't him, beamed.
"Thanks big sis" The boy who still wasn't him said.
The whole family than went and embraced the boy into a loving hug and the boy cheeks heated up, fireworks were launched in the background.
Koike wanted to scream.
To cry.
To get down on his knees and throw a tantrum.
He wanted so desperately to scream about how that boy wasn't him.
He felt betrayed.
All this time, he had thought his family had been looking for him but the moment they found a boy who looked like him.
They had dropped him.
He had been replaced.
The very thought of his getting back to his family was what kept him sane up till now.
But who would believe he was Koike Hizuri?
Who would believe him if he called the boy out on his 'birthday'?
It was like a barrier was between them and him.
For nine years, things had never been the same and they had clearly moved on without him.
If he dared to speak out, who knows what the crowd would do him when they were all convinced that they were looking at Koike Hizuri and had been looking at him for 9 years?
Throughout the party and celebration.
Neither the Hizuri nor the people around them know what they had just done.
Nobody noticed the little boy whose whole world shattered around him.
A hand was placed on the Koun shoulder and spun him around.
Kyle cursed when he saw Koike hollow eyes.
In the background, the sound of music and cheering was ever present.
Kyle turned to the celebrating family and noticed the blond and hazel eyed child in the middle of it all and then eyes went to those around him.
All he could think about was the broken child in his arms who had his life stolen in front of his very eyes.
And scene!
I know this was dark. I do plan on expanding on this. Next chapter, Koike gets adopted by the one person he hasn't lost and is giving the childhood he truly deserved and Japan starts to see that 'Koike Hizuri' may not be who they thought he was, when puberty kicks in and the boy starts sporting none Hizuri features that even the family themselves can't ignore. Please Review/ Fav and follow!