Lost in Paradise

by Prince Izzy X

SLASH! After yet another loss against Sam, Izzy's sent flying towards Oahu, Hawaii. He develops amnesia! Then he meets an energetic local that wants to help regain his memory! Meanwhile, with the help of the Rocket crew, Iggy must cope with his big brother's absence. With the help of Keoni, will Izzy remember who he is and return home? And how will they all grow along the way?

26. The Storm

A/N: Another long chapter! I'm sorry! I was sorely tempted to make this another multi-parter, but I just couldn't find a natural stopping point. Had to post it before it got even longer.

Please enjoy the chapter! Don't forget to review!

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Lost in Paradise

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Storm

Rain pittered and pattered as Izzy pushed open the large mahogany doors. He entered, the doors creaking shut behind him. The cathedral was just as gray and gloomy as the outside world. Torches and the occasional flash of lightning provided the only light. The stone walls did nothing to abate the chilling winds outside.

Huddling into his vest, Izzy stepped forward, his footsteps echoing all around. The people occupying the pews paid no mind, lost in their sorrow. Their cries and hushed murmurs mingled with the boy's steps and the storm raging outside, creating a melancholic melody.

As he walked down the sullen hall, he could see all sorts of familiar people. He saw Mommi, Uncle Hiwe, and Keoni's parents to name a few. As a matter of fact, the entirety of the Makani family was in attendance. They were all dressed in somber versions of their usual outfits. The normally colorful shirts, shorts, and muumuus were black and gray. The men were wearing black ties while the women had veils adorning their heads.

The women were crying while the men tried very hard to console them, forcing themselves not to join the bawling. The children—Keoni's younger cousins—were looking bored as most kids would in this situation. If they weren't asleep, they were either playing with their toys or tugging on their moms' dresses, begging them to leave. Izzy couldn't blame them, he'd want to leave too.

Matter of fact, why were they all gathered there? A quick head count revealed that everyone he met thus far were alive and well. So who was everyone grieving for?

As he reached the front of the chapel, he realized the people assembled were more in his age group. There was Leilani and Cousin Tai from the farmer's market. Cousin Komali—with several owls perched on his shoulders—had a pew all to himself. Even Lee and his friends were present, anguish clouding their features.

But there were also a bunch of kids he barely recognized. There was a girl with strange purple hair and a boy with striking auburn dreadlocks looking on. Across the aisle from them were others, including a kid draped in a deep black cloak and a taller boy wearing a bucket hat almost like Izzy's. There was also a pale, almost sickly boy among them. Though Izzy had no clue who he was, the grim look on the kid's face felt so uncharacteristic and foreign.

Izzy knew he should remember who these kids were and the significance they played in his life, but nothing was coming back to him. It was all so foggy, like wisps from the deepest reaches of his memories. It amazed him that his subconscious was able to conjure up the image of all these kids.

He finally reached the first row and felt his soul shatter.

There were Keoni and Iggy huddled against each other, crying their eyes out. They were without a doubt the loudest grievers in the hall. A giant puddle formed at their feet, threatening to cause anybody unfortunate enough to walk near them to slip. Beside them sat Sam and another boy wearing a striped kangol hat. The blond was looking just as downtrodden as Keoni and Iggy, but was silent. Instead he'd bury his head in the redhead's shoulder. The redhead in turn held Sam close, their hands clasped tightly lest the same fate befall them too.

The sight both befuddled and irritated Izzy. He was definitely sure he was supposed to remember that hat from somewhere! Nothing came up however, but that was the least of his concerns. He was in front of the church and was no closer to figuring out why he was here. For that matter why was everyone crying their brains out?! His fists clenched tight as he tried to keep his anger in check.

"Somebody better start talking and fast!" He shouted. His voice bounced off the walls a thousand times.

No reaction.

"What is going on here!?"

The closest voice, that of his brother, sobbed.

"Why!?" He cried out, his chest heaving repeatedly. "Why'd he have to go!?"

"I wish I knew lil' brah!" Keoni cried, raising his head towards the ceiling. "But he's in a better place now. Probably surfing on a cloud..."

Izzy jumped back in fright. Keoni was looking nothing like his old self. His face was pale. Dark rings were prominent under his bloodshot eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks like cascades. He looked like he hasn't eaten a bite in days, much less slept. He looked completely disheveled. About the only thing decent about him was the pressed black suit and tie he was sporting.

Izzy had to admit the love of his life may have seen better days, but he sure does clean up nice.

...Ya know, minus the crying and everything.

"So who died?" He asked, having guessed the obvious and trying to move things along.

Again, no answer.

He paid it no mind as he looked up at the black and purple bunting hanging off the rafters.

"Come to think of it, I don't remember ever even seeing the inside of a church. At all..." He mused. "Not once since waking up..."

He blinked.

"Could this be a place from the past? My past?" He held his chin. "That doesn't make sense... Everybody from my...past, I guess—" He looked at Sam's companion, who was far too close to the blond to be considered as such. "—and present is here together. Unless this is some weird time travel dealy."

He snickered at a sudden thought.

"'Hold the door...! Hold the door...!'" He faked a seizure, trying to get a laugh out of the crowd.

No dice. Matter of fact, no one so much as batted an eyelash at him. They just sat there crying and holding each other for comfort.

"What, too soon?" He shrugged. "Aw well, I tried."

He scratched his head as he turned towards the altar to see...nothing at all. Just a cold wall made of brick with the occasional stained glass to break it up.

"So if you guys are crying because somebody died, where's the casket? Can't have a funeral without a...body..." His eyes widened. "A-And why is no one paying attention to m-m-me...?"

Suddenly, his skin turned white...deathly white as it dawned on him. Thunder burst and the room lit up as he slowly turned towards the crowd. He swallowed a large lump as the lightning subsided and pointed to himself.

"M-m-m-m-m-me...?" He shuddered. "Y-You're all here for me b-because I...!?"

Confirmation came when he saw Iggy pull out a burned and tattered bucket hat and held it close to his chest. That's weird... Shouldn't Izzy be wearing that hat? He didn't fall asleep with it on, of course, but he was sure his dream self would have the hat on always. Blinking oddly, he reached up and felt only hair where fabric should be. He looked back at Iggy, who sobbed even harder if that can be believed.

Quickly putting two and two together, Izzy dropped to his knees, pleading.

"No way! I couldn't have croaked! H-How!? I got so much to live for!" He reached out for Keoni. "Ya gotta believe me!"

He attempted to grab the other boy's hand, only to find he couldn't. His hand just passed right through Keoni's. Desperate, Izzy kept trying to grab hold of Keoni and Iggy to no avail. No matter what he did, his hands would faze through them without so much as grabbing either boy's attention. Izzy soon gave up, tears coming to his own eyes.

"I-I didn't even get the chance to tell you how I felt..." He sobbed miserably as he bowed his head. He freely let his tears fall. They fell through the floor, not leaving so much as a drop.

A frigid breeze blew through Izzy, chilling him to his very core. He shrunk into his vest shuddering. He raised his head when he realized he could no longer hear Keoni and Iggy's cries. He found that he was no longer in the church but a graveyard that stretched for eternity. There was nothing but gravestones and mausoleums in every direction. It was dim and hazy. Briefly the world would light up whenever lightning struck before returning to the foreboding darkness. Izzy looked behind him and noticed the path lead to an open grave upon a hill with a twisted tree behind it. A single tombstone stood beside the hole.

Upon seeing the marker, he stood up, rolling his eyes.

"Gee, I wonder what it says!" He sarcastically shouted to the sky.

All he got in response was a rumble of thunder and lightning streaking against the clouds. He heaved a sigh and started walking towards the grave. All the while he grumbled about weird dreams, clichés, and swearing off Aunt Sukey's volcanic buffalo wings marinated with pineapple ranch and Frank's red hot sauce.

"I swear she puts that...stuff...on everything!" He huffed, calming down. "Wish I'd wake up already. This is getting kinda old. It's not like I don't know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna see my name written down on that tombstone and then I'm supposed to jump up in bed and scream. It's been done to death!"

He blinked, realizing his faux pas as he reached the grave site.

"...Pun unintended. Hope I don't scare Keoni too much when I do wake up... He's so caring and sweet and cute and hot... I hate worrying him." He gave another, this time loving, sigh as he bent towards the tombstone. "Alright... Let's get this over with..."

As if listening to him, a great bolt of lightning came down and split the nearby tree in two. Izzy flinched for a second before looking on. The tree had caught fire, illuminating the tombstone for him to read.

As he predicted, the inscription read, "Here lies Izzy Lopez." He looked down and noticed more engraving.

"'Beloved(?) son, brother, boyfriend...' Hmph, coulda done without that question mark..." He rolled his eyes as he stood. "Was that it? Ooooohhhh big scary tombstone foretelling my premature death! La-de-dah! Oh I'm peeing my pants in fright! Ha! I totally called—!"

°CLANG!.!.!°

Izzy felt something hard and metallic strike the back of his head, sending him falling head first into the grave!.!.!

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!.!.!" He screamed as he plummeted endlessly.

°CRASH!.!.!°

"OOOOFFFA!.!.!"

...Ok, maybe it was more like 50 feet down...

"—It..." Izzy groaned, his voice muffled by mud and dirt. He picked his head up and shook the mud from his face and hair. "What hit me...?" He blinked at that. "Wait, hit? I thought I was a ghost!"

"Hehhehheh..." A sinister voice chortled.

It sounded eerily familiar...

Almost like it came from...

"Had a nice fall!?"

Izzy's own mouth!?

Izzy's head snapped towards the hole he just fell into. He was greeted by a pair of glowing red eyes. Almost on cue, lightning struck, revealing the attacker as none other than Izzy himself! The doppelganger was dressed exactly the same. The main difference was the twisted smile adorning his face. It looked wider than the Cheshire cat's grin and sported teeth sharper than blades! That's not to mention the piercing eyes. Izzy thought the crimson glare would stab his very soul. Mist darker than the blackest coal seeped out from the doppelganger's body. The toxic looking cloud rolled down into the grave. Izzy held his breath, not that it helped much—being a ghost and all. Atop the demon's head was the very same hat Izzy saw Iggy pull out earlier. In his hands was the shovel he presumably knocked Izzy with. It was like...looking at a shadow of the amnesiac.

"Wh-what are...? Who are you!?"

The sneer broke out in a terrifying laugh.

"Ain't it obvious? I'm you, the real you!"

The shadowy Izzy dug up some dirt and dropped it into the grave. Izzy narrowly dodged it and looked back up.

"Wh-whaddya doing!? I'm still down here!"

"Duh! How else am I gonna get rid of you, ya goody two shoes! Now..." The shadow Izzy grabbed another clump of dirt. "Disappear into the earth where ya belong! Hehehehe... Ahahahahahaha!.!.!"

Laughing manically, he proceeding to scoop more and more dirt into the grave, burying Izzy alive! Izzy shouted and screamed for help as the dirt began to pile up.

No help came.

The dirt kept rising and covering more of his body, first his feet, then his knees. Soon, almost as quickly as he could yell, the dirt rose to his chest. Eventually, Izzy couldn't even hear his own voice calling for help anymore, his mouth having been covered by the dirt. Just his voice laughing an earsplitting laughter. It sounded so, so evil! Like it was concocted by the devil himself. Even when the dirt covered him completely, he could still hear that horrible laugh.

But the air...

He was losing consciousness due to the suffocating dirt.

Everything went dark...

He tried desperately to breathe, but all that would fill his lungs were dirt and rocks. It cut off his air until...until...

°KRAKOW!.!.!°

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!.!.!"

Izzy's scream echoed all around the room as he shot up in bed, throwing the blanket aside. His heart was beating a mile a minute as he greedily took air in. His pajamas were soaked in sweat, almost to the point of creating a small puddle where he sat.

...At least he prayed that was sweat...

Instinctively, he brushed himself off, making sure not so much as a pebble was on his clothing. Satisfied he was clean, he looked up. His eyes were unblinking and throbbing, trying to take in every square inch of the room, reminding him he was wide awake.

"Hah... Hah..." He panted. His breathing soon returned to normal. "Hah... Whew... Ok, I gotta give it to my subconscious. That was scary!"

He looked up once more, confirming he was indeed back in Keoni's room. There was only one problem. ...Well, ok, two. First, it was dark, nearly pitch black. Was it still night? A quick glance at the alarm clock revealed that it was indeed morning, 8:30 to be exact. Then why...?

Izzy's question was quickly answered when the room flashed white. This was followed by a crash of thunder. The sound made him jump up again, causing the bed to creak loudly. His eyes widened in horror. In his excitement, he forgot Keoni was sleeping right next to him! He could've been jostled awake by Izzy's fright filled jump.

"Oops! Sorry Keoni, I..."

He turned to see air. That was the second problem. Keoni's spot on the bed was empty. Izzy blinked oddly. Where'd Keoni go? He normally wasn't up for another half hour. Did the thunder wake him up too?

Wait... Thunder? Lightning?.?.?

Without another thought, Izzy hopped out of bed and bounded over to the window. He drew back the curtain and was greeted by another flash of lightning.

"Gah!" He retreated, covering his eyes.

He rubbed his eyes, willing them to focus before attempting to look out the window again. He was surprised at what he saw.

Everywhere was wet. It was raining in sheets outside. The ground was completely taken over by puddles and mud. Tiny waterfalls cascaded off the balconies of the tree houses. Every window was lit up. Not a single soul can be seen roaming the grounds, save for the occasional young kid dressed in a raincoat splashing around in the puddles. Even the usual herd of farm animals was absent from the grounds.

The world looked completely different and new to Izzy. Of course, the concept of rain was nothing new to him, but this was the first time he's ever seen a rainy Hawaiian day. He had no idea it was possible for it to rain here in this beautiful paradise. It felt so weird to not see the sun shining for once. It felt chilly, like someone turned down the thermostat drastically. He looked up just in time to see a jagged line of white dance along dark, heavy clouds before disappearing. The wind howled, creating an eerie feeling not unlike his latest nightmare.

Izzy gave a shudder at the thought. What was with these horrible dreams he's been having lately? Was his brain trying to tell him something? Was he anxious because he would soon be returning home? Was there something horrible waiting for him back in Ocean Shores?

...Was his mind trying to protect him?

Closing his eyes and clenching a fist, Izzy shook his head. That can't be true...can it? What was so bad that his subconscious would cause a terrible dream like that? He clinched his teeth, searching inside for the answer. Nothing would surface, however. Just the same darkness clouding his memories. Even the fractured memories he recovered thus far yielded little answers. There was trouble back in Ocean Shores, that much he knew. But what happened? Why can't he remember? And what was with that shadowy version of himself?

Izzy heaved a sigh, giving up. He changed into his usual clothes and walked back to Keoni's bed. He reached over to the bedpost and grabbed his bucket hat. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the hat, amazed it was intact unlike in his dream. He placed it atop his head, too rattled to even do his usual ritual. He turned on the lamp. The room lit up, creating a sharp contrast to the outside world. The light kept the darkness outside at bay.

If only he could say the same for the darkness in his heart...

The door opened and in stepped Keoni, bringing a grin to Izzy's face. The boy was wearing a yellow raincoat and boots. He was carrying the basket that usually hangs from his tree. It was covered with a small tarp, presumably to protect its contents from the rain. Izzy would've jumped up and hugged him had Keoni not been dripping wet.

"Whew! It's really coming down out there, brah!" He shuddered, pushing the door against the wind until it shut. "Glad to see you're up! You hungry?"

He stepped closer, yanking the tarp from the basket. Inside were some tupperware cases, a bottle of pineapple orange juice, another bottle of syrup, utensils, napkins, and two cups. Steam was rising from the tupperware, instantly making Izzy feel warmer just from looking at it.

"I got us some breakfast fresh from the kitchen!" Keoni laid the contents out on the desk. "I got us scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, toast and juice! The storm came in so fast, nobody had time to put out the canopy, so we're having breakfast up here today. Hope that won't be a problem, cuz."

Izzy hopped out of bed and stood over the spread, trying his hardest not to drool on the food. "You kidding? This is awesome! It all looks so good!"

Keoni gave a giggle as he peeled off the soaking wet raincoat and muddy boots. He hung the coat off his closet door to dry and placed the boots nearby. He grabbed a towel and dried himself before coming back to Izzy.

"So what's got ya up so early today? You're usually still snoring by now!"

"Oh... Um..." Izzy turned red, looking away. "I err... Had a nightmare..."

"Oh?" Keoni frowned at that. "What happened?"

Izzy sighed in resignation. He knew he'd have to tell Keoni about it eventually. He could never say no to those beautiful brown eyes.

He told Keoni everything that happened. How he walked in on his own funeral and saw everyone he met, as well as several familiar (if not distant) faces dressed in full on funeral garb and crying over him. How Keoni and Iggy were both crying the loudest. Then there was the scene at the graveyard. By the end of it, Izzy was crying softly. Smiling supportively, Keoni walked over, grabbed his hands, and guided him to sit on the bed.

"And...I...woke up..." Izzy sniffled. "I...died. How, I don't know... But you were all there...crying over me..."

"Izzy..." Keoni reached up and gently wiped the tears from the other boy's eyes. "It's ok, you're fine now. There's no need to be afraid. It was just a dream..."

"B-But it felt so real and scary." Izzy turned and huddled into his knees. "I...I don't want to die..."

"You won't." Keoni fought back his own tears as he placed a hand on Izzy's. "You're ok. It was just a dream." He repeated.

"Yeah... Yeah, you're right..." Izzy nodded. "Th-There's so still so much I have to do. So many things I want to say...to Iggy...to Sam...and you...especially you..."

He rubbed his tears away and stared right into Keoni's eyes, as if all the salvation in the world rested within. Keoni, no longer able to restrain his own tears, maintained his smile. He made no attempt to get rid of them.

"Keoni... I..."

"Izzy... You don't have to...not till you're ready." Keoni shook his head, the smile widening. "We got all the time in the world. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you."

"Well, except to Ocean Shores, of course." Izzy corrected.

Keoni gave a soft giggle at that. "You're right. To Ocean Shores! Both of us!"

They came in for a tender hug, perhaps the most tender one thus far. It wasn't very long, but the couple put everything they had into it. They wanted the other to feel their heartbeat resonating alongside the other. When they separated, curiosity appeared in their eyes, having found each other crying again. Keoni was the first to respond, cupping Izzy's cheek with one hand while again brushing the tears away with the other. Izzy responded in kind, staring forlornly into the other boy's eyes.

"Keoni..." Izzy sighed, smiling again. His eyes brightened up considerably. "Thanks so much. You're the best."

"Heh, heh... No problemo. Always happy to lend an ear...and then some." Keoni winked, causing Izzy to blush.

"Ugh! You pick the worst times!" He pulled away laughing. Keoni blinked, then joined in.

"Haha! I can't help it! I just love doing that to ya, brah!"

They both remained like that for several minutes, laughing and drinking in the atmosphere which became much less tense than it was a couple of moments ago. Izzy's heart felt a lot lighter now that he got that dream off his chest. Maybe he should tell Keoni about his troubles more often if it always feels that good!

"Better eat up before breakfast gets cold." Keoni stood up and grabbed the tupperware containing their food.

"You don't have to tell me twice! I'm starving!" Izzy chuckled as he was handed his food. "Who knew bearing your soul could make ya so hungry?"

"Well, it does bring everything out, leaving ya totally empty. I can see why that'd make ya hungry." Keoni peeled the lid off his container. "Let's eat!"

It was silent for a few minutes as they ate. The only sounds that passed during this time, aside from the pitter patter of rain and the howling wind, were the sounds of chewing, savoring, and slurping.

"Brah! That's rude!" Keoni admonished...before slurping from his own glass.

"Uh-huh... So what does that make you?" Izzy stuck out his tongue.

It was without a doubt the best breakfast Izzy's ever had. It may not have been nearly as filling or had as much food as the massive breakfast he had the day of the farmer's market, but there was something else, something that couldn't possibly be replicated at a restaurant.

It took a while, but Izzy realized it must've been because of the fact there were only two diners this time. Almost every other time he's eaten breakfast—or really any other meal for that matter—there were always other people around. Whether it was in the aforementioned restaurant or while sitting at the table with the Makani clan, his meals have always been with people he barely knew all around him, talking about who knows what. He never showed it, but it always felt overwhelming to him, like he was being watched and unable to listen to his own thoughts. This time however, he was eating with the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

It felt good having a simple meal in private, not to mention the atmosphere was just about right. The raging storm outside, the soft glow of the lamp, the warmth spreading throughout their bodies from the food. It was perfect to Izzy. The food was great too. It tasted so good. The scrambled eggs were fluffy; the pancakes were burnt at the edges, making them just a little crunchy while the inside was buttery; the bacon was delectable, the toast was the right compliment to the meal; and the juice was the perfect capper, its nectar dancing on Izzy's taste buds.

It was clear the food was made with a caring hand, but even more so, the meal was picked out with love. The Makanis typically have a buffet style breakfast every morning. Family members are allowed to pick from a wide assortment of foods. Eggs made 5 different ways, pancakes of various flavors, both regular and French toast, and even oatmeal and cereals to name a few! For Keoni to pick these amazing foods for Izzy... It made the amnesiac sigh blissfully. To think Keoni knew him well enough after all this time to pick out the foods he liked the most. It made the raven haired boy feel blessed and at home with Keoni.

"So how'd you like it?" Keoni asked, taking the empty containers from Izzy.

"Oh man... That was...awesome..." Izzy sighed, rubbing his belly. "I can't believe you were able to pick the stuff I liked!"

Keoni went red in the face as he rejoined Izzy on the bed. "Of course I did. You only eat the same thing every other morning, brah."

"Oh..." Izzy blinked. "Th-that's true I guess... Didn't realize I became so predictable."

"Eh, there's nothing wrong with that. You eat whatever you like."

"Still, you knew everything I liked, right down to the juice. Ya got some memory, buddy!"

"I could never forget a thing about ya." Keoni smiled, closing his eyes happily. "You made such an impression on me. I can't—no, won't—ever forget you."

Izzy looked away, smiling as his cheeks turned crimson. "I'm not going to forget you either. Seriously, I could get hit in the head right now and I'll still remember everything you've done for me!"

"R-Really...?" Keoni's eyes widened.

"Yep! Just...don't test that theory anytime soon, ok?" Izzy nursed the lumps on his head from that very first day. "Haven't recovered from the last bump..."

Keoni chuckled at that one. "No worries, cuz. No one's ever going to hurt you like that again. I guarantee it."

It was silent again as the boys looked into each other's eyes. There was nothing but truth in both of their words. It only served to strengthen their bond and resolve to see things through to the end.

They both looked up as another explosion of thunder was heard overhead. The rain intensified shortly after, reminding them of that night at the waterfall. It felt like the entire sky was emptying over the hut alone.

"Hm... Really coming down hard huh...?" Izzy asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, no one's going to get anything done in this weather..."

"Speaking of getting things done...!" Izzy trailed off guiltily, his eyes widening. "There's no way I can get any chores done!" He bowed his head. "The whole day's wasted..."

"Is that all you're worried about?" Keoni laughed in response. "I think you're fine brah."

He gestured to the dresser. On top of it was a large jar that was labeled, "Ocean Shores or bust!" Underneath the writing were chibi drawings of Keoni and Izzy's smiling faces. It was filled with so much cash, it looked like it would burst if just one more bill was stuffed inside.

"We got more than enough to fly me to Ocean Shores!"

"Huh... I never really noticed how much we collected after all this time..." Izzy blinked at the jar. "Always been thinking of getting enough money to fly you home. Not to mention how cool it'll be when you see Iggy and my place..."

"Come to think of it, you said me and Iggy were crying over you in your dream, right?" Keoni asked. Izzy nodded at that. "What were we like together?"

Izzy raised an eyebrow at that before thinking back to his nightmare. "You guys were getting along pretty well...all things considered. You even called him your little bro."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. You guys really looked like you belonged together...a-as a family."

Keoni could only smile at that image. "Makes a lotta sense. Me and him are gonna see a lot of each other after all, especially once we officially become bruddahs."

He winked at Izzy, causing him to go red again. That was true, Keoni and Iggy will become brothers-in-law after Keoni and Izzy...well... To think Keoni had that day on his mind! The day when both boys become one, linking their families together for all eternity. The day when bells ring, doves fly, and flower petals float through the air like snow. The thought made Izzy openly grin wide. His heart beat rapidly as the words "I do" played over and over in his mind like a broken record.

"Uh, Izzy? You in there?" Keoni tried, waving his hand in front of the dream struck boy.

"I...do..." Izzy murmured dreamily.

"Huh?" Keoni blushed as well, the corners of his lips rising. "W-what'd you say...?"

"I—"

Thunder boomed again.

"WAH!.!.!"

Izzy jumped up in fright...right into Keoni's arms. As the thunder subsided, they looked into each other's eyes again. They were so much closer than before. Their breathing quickened.

"K-Keoni..."

"Izzy..."

"Fancy meeting you here..."

"L-Likewise..."

Keoni put his arms around Izzy's waist while Izzy's arms found their way around Keoni's neck. Their gaze never left each other. Their hearts thumped loudly in their chests, deafening out all coherent thought until one remained: That all persistent, nagging desire to do the one thing they've wanted to do since meeting.

"Re-remember that day I was running from the cart and told you to jump?" Izzy whispered.

"Yeah... I remember..." Keoni nodded slowly. "I jumped...and then I..."

"...Landed in my arms..." Izzy finished. "And then you said..."

"Whenever I'm with you, I feel safe and secure."

"Yeah..." Izzy smiled as he leaned into Keoni, tightening the embrace. "I feel the same way right now."

"Izzy..." Keoni returned the hug. "I want you to always feel that way."

"Always and forever..."

They leaned closer to each other, closing their eyes. They were only an inch away as they puckered their lips...

°BOOM!.!.!°

"WOAH!.!.!" Keoni shouted, practically catapulting Izzy over his head!

Izzy screamed as he careened right into the floor. A great splash was heard outside, as if all of the water accumulating on Keoni's tree was knocked off from the crash. Keoni gasped and slapped his hands over his mouth as he looked at Izzy who was sprawled out across the floor. The boy's legs were twitching painfully.

"Oh man! Are you ok, Izzy? Izzy!?"

He blinked as he heard the other boy's muffled voice coming from the floor. Keoni raised an eyebrow.

"What...?"

"I said, 'I hate thunder!'" Izzy shouted, lifting his head. He sat up, rubbing his forehead. "So much for safe and secure..."

"Ouch, I'm sorry brah!" Keoni apologized, helping Izzy back to his feet. "I didn't mean to do that... That thunder came outta nowhere!"

"Ow..." Izzy groaned, shaking his head. "It's...it's alright... Wasn't your fault man..." To Keoni's surprise, he actually chuckled. "I forgot how strong you were!"

"Heh, heh... What can I say?" Keoni winked, flexing his arms. "You don't get these babies from just surfing!"

Rolling his eyes, Izzy put his hands on his hips. "Oh great... Now you're gonna get a big head!"

"Am not!" Keoni denied, pouting and crossing his arms. Izzy took one look at Keoni's face and instantly lost it.

"Pfffft! HAHAHAHAHA!.!.!" He laughed, holding his sides. "I-I've never seen that look on your face before! It's hilarious! HAHAHAHAHA!.!.!"

Keoni scratched his head and gave Izzy a weird look before he too busted out laughing. He had to admit, this recent turn of events was pretty silly. For several minutes, their raucous laughter echoed all around. Until...

°KRAKOW!.!.!°

Instantly, they found themselves back in each other's arms. Their teeth were clenched as their hair stood up on end. Their eyes were wide open. They shuddered as the thunder echoed all around until it faded away. They both flushed in embarrassment, looking away from each other.

That was when Izzy raised an eyebrow.

"K-Keoni...?"

"Y-Yeah brah...?"

"A-Are you...scared of thunder?"

"..." Keoni sighed dismally as he separated from Izzy. He nodded, refusing to meet the other boy's gaze. "Yeah...I am..."

Izzy blinked in surprise. "Woah! You too!?"

Keoni snapped, ready to defend himself. "I'll have you know it's perfectly natural and—Wait...'too!?' Y-You're afraid also...?"

Izzy bowed his head shamefully. "Y-Yep..."

Keoni sighed in relief. "I thought I was the only one..."

They returned to the bed and sat on the edge. Keoni's face was again set in a reassuring gaze. Izzy, meanwhile, was still looking shaken up. He was holding his sides and shuddering.

"It's alright to be scared, brah." Keoni sighed as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "I was born during the rainy season. My mom told me it'd be raining nonstop almost every other day. The rain would be so heavy, the farm would get flooded often. That's why we have the dam nowadays."

"Huh, so that's why..." Izzy commented, having relaxed. "I've always wondered, did you guys have a river here? The path to the farm always looks like it's lower than the rest of the land nearby."

Keoni nodded, keeping his gaze on the straw ceiling.

"We used to have a small stream going through the canyon between here and the farmland. During the rainy season, that stream would become a rushing river going from the farm all the way to the beach. Before I learned how to walk, the family would have to either drive around the bend to get to the farm or use a boat and go around Diamond Head."

"Sounds inconvenient."

"It was. That's why Mommi ordered the construction of the dam. It was done before I enrolled in preschool. The stream dried up in next to no time. From then on, we were able to go straight through the canyon to get to the farm. Made things a lot easier. Anyway, back to when I was born. Like I said, I was born during the rainy season. Every other day for the first couple months of my life, we'd have these crazy loud thunderstorms. The rain and lightning was never a problem since I was always inside safe, but the thunder..."

Keoni sighed, shutting his eyes tightly.

"The thunder would come at totally random times and scare me to no end! I could be playing with my toys or drinking from my bottle one minute and the next, I'd be crying like mad! I would never stop either. My mom and dad would pick me up and rock me for hours or make noise with my rattle and stuff, trying to drown out the thunder. But I wouldn't stop crying until either the storm passed or I fell asleep, out of breath and tears. The peace wouldn't last long before the next storm rolled in...

"It went on like this till I was six and figured out thunder is just sound. It may be loud, but it can't hurt you. Even then, it just calmed me down a little. For the most part, thunder doesn't get to me, but to this day, I'll get totally petrified when the big thunderclaps come... I guess you can say the fear has never left me. It was just a big part of the first days of my life. It's ingrained in me. It's like...it's like a giant's footsteps. I'd always think a crazy big giant was coming to get me! ...Doesn't help my uncle Tito would pretend he was a giant sometimes, stomping around my crib."

Another clap of thunder was heard then. Both boys flinched, but it passed quickly.

"Keoni..." Izzy put an arm around his shoulder. "I...I had no idea thunder was this bad for you..."

"Well it is..." A tear came to Keoni's eye. He quickly rubbed it away. "I'm sorry Izzy. I bet I sound like a big coward to you..."

"Wha!?" Izzy was aghast. "No way!" He stood up and glared at Keoni. The light brunette looked surprised at the sudden stare down. "You are no coward, Keoni Makani! You're the bravest guy I've ever known! You stood up to that huge cart with me and stopped it! You never backed down from nothing, not even going up against your rival! You went to the mainland multiple times all by yourself and met total strangers! And most important of all, you were brave enough to take me in when I was knocked out on the beach! Who knows what I could've done to you and your family when I woke up!?"

"I-Izzy..." Keoni's eyes grew watery.

"Don't you ever think that about yourself again! EVER!.!.! If anyone, I'm the coward! I can't skate or surf to save my life! I keep beefing it and getting in trouble! I still shudder and get scared whenever I think about Ocean Shores and Sam and Iggy and these horrible memories that are waiting to come out! I...! I...!"

He couldn't finish his next thought. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Instantly, Keoni was on his feet. He held Izzy close to him and sat them both on the bed, staying silent as the dark brunette let it all out of his system. They were like that for a good hour, all the while the thunder, rain, and wind roared all around them. The very room felt like it was shaking, but the couple paid it no mind. It was the first time they were unaffected by the storm outside. All that mattered to them was calming down the other boy, making them feel better about each other.

Soon, Izzy's sobs finally ended. His breathing returned to normal. His face remained pressed against Keoni's chest as he repeatedly told him, "You are not a coward... You are not a coward..." Keoni smiled as he ran a hand up and down the other boy's back. Shortly after, Izzy took a deep breath and pulled away, having no more to say. He sniffled, wiping his nose against his arm.

"I'm sorry Keoni..." He said, breaking the silence. "I...I didn't mean to yell at you like that..."

"Don't worry about it, cuz." Keoni smiled forgivingly. "Thanks for saying all that. I needed it."

Izzy could only nod. He cringed when Keoni glowered at him.

"However, you're not a coward either." He said firmly. "You've managed to go through all these crazy situations—learning how to surf, getting those flowers from the volcano, and chasing after that cart—on top of dealing with amnesia. Never mind the fact you've done every single chore my family made you do with your head held up high, just to get me a plane ticket to Ocean Shores! No one can go through all that without feeling a least a little afraid!"

He put on a reassuring look as he put a hand on Izzy's shoulder.

"Like I already told ya, it's ok to be scared. No one's going to hold it against ya, much less me. All I ask is that you don't hold it in and remember to stay positive. That's the Aloha Spirit, after all."

"You're right. I gotta keep my head up. We're gonna get through all of this no matter what!" Izzy nodded confidently before tilting his head. "...Right?"

"Of course!" Keoni chuckled. His eyes then widened, having realized something. "Heh, you did it, brah!"

"Huh?" Izzy raised an eyebrow. "Did what?"

"Remember the other night? How you told me you didn't have any secrets? You just confided in me! I knew you had to have at least one secret in ya and I was right!"

Izzy scratched his head at that. "I guess you're right... Only thing is this kinda popped up like an hour or two ago..."

"What, like another memory?"

"I dunno..." Izzy shook his head. "It definitely doesn't feel like a memory... Usually my head starts hurting and feels hot whenever a memory pops up. This time that didn't happen."

"Weird..." Keoni blinked. "Guess we better start at the top then. Why are you afraid of thunder?"

"That's the strange part, this is the first time I've ever heard thunder. I got no memories of it at all. Frankly I'm surprised I even remember what a thunderstorm is, much less dreamed I was in one."

"Then why...?"

Izzy shrugged. "Dunno, but whenever I hear thunder, my whole body feels hot, like I'm back in the volcano, surrounded on all sides by lava. Then I feel a weird pain all over. It's not horrible, but it definitely hurts and it's only for like a second. And then I feel like I'm flying, like I was just tossed from somewhere. Somewhere really high up too because I don't ever land before I remember I'm already on solid ground..."

"Hm..." Keoni had his hand on his chin in thought. Now where has he heard all this before...?

"I don't get it, but it's definitely scary. It's not a good feeling at all... And it keeps happening every time I hear thunder."

"We gotta get your mind offa this cuz. You can't be scared of thunder all the time. Take it from me, there are more important things to think about than your fear."

"You're right." Izzy nodded. "Let's stop talking about this and do something."

Thunder boomed again, shocking Keoni and making Izzy hop in place. The dark kid shook his head and rubbed himself all over to get rid of the burning feeling.

"That's right..." He started when he recovered. "Almost forgot about the storm... Can't really do anything huh? No skating or chores since it's raining too hard..."

"And no surfing since the water gets way too choppy and rough during storms..." Keoni finished.

"Man storms are the worst!" Izzy complained, throwing himself backwards on the bed. "There's nothing to do!"

"I agree, but chill a sec, brah. It ain't all bad." Keoni said as he sat on the floor and reached underneath his bed. "We still got something we can do."

"Huh?" Izzy raised his head. "Whaddya have in mind?"

"Ugh..." Keoni groaned, trying to pull something out. "Man it's...stuck in there...good...! I'll show ya in a...sec, cuz! Soon as I—hrng!—get...it...out...!"

Izzy sat up. "Erm, want me to help ya out?"

"Oh no, you're fine right where—hrng!—you are!" Keoni blinked at a sudden thought. He stopped pulling and smirked at Izzy with half lidded eyes. "Actually, you're fine all the time..."

"Right..." The raven haired boy rolled his eyes. "Do ya ever stop?"

"What, want me to?"

"NEVER!.!.!" Izzy answered quickly, cheeks flaring. "Don't ever stop! ...I...I'm too used to it now..."

"Good, 'cuz I wasn't planning to!" Keoni chuckled. He resumed tugging on the mystery under his bed. He began pulling in earnest. "Now to get...this...thing...OUT!.!.!"

Just as he said that, thunder cackled again, causing Izzy to jump up in surprise. At the same time, Keoni gave a hard tug. The result was the object finally coming loose...and Keoni flying backwards a couple feet. He landed on his back with a briefcase lying across his stomach. His eyes were spinning as he groaned dizzily.

"Keoni!" Izzy panicked, bouncing off the bed. He was at the boy's side immediately. "Are you alright?" He grabbed the briefcase and lifted it up off Keoni, struggling against the weight. "Ugh, what's in here, bricks!?"

"°Cough!° No, just my art supplies..." Keoni sputtered, sitting up. He shook the dizziness out of his head. "I figured we could paint to pass the time."

"Paint?" Izzy looked unsure. "I dunno... Out of everything that's happened, I've definitely never thought of myself as an artist..."

"Ya won't know till ya try, brah!" Keoni had an excited look on his face as he jumped to his feet and laid the briefcase on the bed. "I sure didn't think I'd be any good when I first started out. Now, I can paint just about anything my heart desires! Give it a try! You don't have to be a Picasso or Michelangelo to paint. Just look into your heart and paint whatever you see."

Izzy looked on curiously as the other boy opened the suitcase and pulled out a portable easel, brushes of different sizes, some tubes of paint, a pallet and a large drawing pad. Keoni set up the easel by the desk, facing the door. He opened the drawing pad to a blank page and set it up on the easel, adjusting the fasteners so the paper remained in place.

Keoni looked like he really knew what he was doing as he constantly went from the briefcase to the desk, setting up his supplies. He laid the brushes down according to size. The paint tubes were also laid out in an order, from bright to dark. An old piece of newspaper was placed on the edge closest to the easel. It was yellowed and flakes of old paint stained it to the point its words became illegible.

Keoni was smiling broadly as he grabbed one of the cups they used for breakfast and ran to the window. He opened it and held the cup outside, filling it with rainwater. Once it was full, he shut the window and placed the cup on the desk atop the newspaper. He grabbed his paint tubes and squeezed some onto the pallet.

He sat on the chair and stayed still for a few moments, staring at the canvas. It appeared to Izzy that he was thinking about what to paint. Keoni seemed to be lost in his own world as he sat there trying to figure out the right thing to start on. He soon seemed to have a eureka moment, for he grabbed a brush, dipped it in the glass and then in one of the paint puddles on the pallet.

Keoni was about to put the brush to the canvas when his eyes widened. He snapped his head at Izzy, blushing darkly. Izzy raised an eyebrow at the embarrassed look on his face.

"Oh man, brah! I completely forgot you were here!" He blurted out, laying the brush on the pallet. "I'm so sorry!"

"No worries buddy." Izzy answered good naturedly. "Ya kinda looked like you were in your zone for a minute there."

Keoni chuckled in response. "Yeah, I get so worked up when I'm about to paint something, I kinda let the rest of the world fade away. I totally forgot to get you set up!"

He stood and walked over to the closet. He rummaged through it until he found a box with paint stains all over it. He carefully brought it to the bed, taking extreme care of avoid the window. Keoni seemed to be treating the box as if it was some kind of ancient artifact, like it would shatter or turn to dust if he so much as breathed on it wrong.

Once Keoni reached the bed, he lifted the box's lid and pulled out its contents. Several drawing pads, pencils (both drawing and coloring), some erasers, and a pencil sharpener were all laid out in front of Izzy. Izzy looked rather relieved once he saw the pencils.

"Here ya go, cuz! One art kit!" Keoni announced. "If it's all the same to you, you can draw instead of paint. Never really had more than one person paint in here before... Don't really have the space for it, ya know?"

"Yeah, that's true..." Izzy said thoughtfully. "It's probably better I use pencils anyway. Paint's just so permanent. You can't erase it if you make a mistake. Besides, I don't wanna get the bed all messy."

"Pfft! That you don't have to worry about!" Keoni scoffed. "I've painted on this bed so many times growing up! Matter of fact, I've used a few of my sheets as the canvas. I didn't care at all how messy it got!" He looked up at the ceiling for a second. "...My mom, on the other hand..."

Izzy blinked, then chuckled. "Yah, I bet she got steamed at ya plenty of times!"

"Ya kidding? She must've made me change my sheets at least five times a week!" The pair laughed at that. "Anyway, technically you can erase paint, but I'd rather leave the mistake on. Ya never know, that one 'mistake' can turn around the whole painting and make it stand out more."

"Hm... Never thought of it like that..."

"We call those 'happy accidents,' brah. Oh! Almost forgot..." Keoni reached into the box again and pulled out a paperback book, as well as another drawing pad. "This book will teach you the basics of drawing and you can use this drawing pad to draw on. Make me a masterpiece worthy of the old masters, cuz!"

"BUH!? Dude, that's too much pressure!"

"Haha! Chillax, I'm kidding!" Keoni laughed as he handed Izzy the books. "You just draw whatever you think up. I'm sure that whatever you come up with will be great."

"Heh, thanks..." Izzy blushed. "Thing is, I dunno what I should even draw first..."

"That's why I gave you all those other pads, to get some ideas flowing. Every single pad there is filled with all the paintings I've done from the very first time I held a paintbrush in my hand."

"Wha?.?.? You've kept ALL of the paintings you've ever done?.?.?" Izzy looked shocked as he turned to the pile of books on the bed. "There must be YEARS of art here!"

"Yep, about seven years worth." Keoni nodded. "Started way back in kindergarten. Just about some of the most important events and people of my life so far has been painted. With a couple of landscapes and still lives here and there. So please treat these paintings well brah. They're mega special to me."

"I...I understand." Izzy got misty eyed. "As someone who lost his memories, I know how important these paintings are for you. I'll treat them with the same respect as their creator."

"Mahalo brah, that's all I ask." Keoni looked out the window as lightning struck. "Let's get to it. We got a few hours before dinner and this rain doesn't look like it's gonna let up anytime soon."

"Right!" Izzy wiped his eyes and smirked. "I'm gonna draw ya something awesome! Just ya wait!"

The boys became silent as they got to work on their individual projects. Izzy didn't have much of an idea on what do, much less how to draw something that didn't look like some scribbles. He wouldn't be surprised if Keoni turned out to be some kind of Rembrandt type of artist. He shook his head and took a deep breath. The Aloha Spirit taught faith and shunned being afraid. He had to have confidence in his abilities.

Izzy leaned up against the headboard and sat cross-legged. He grabbed the book of drawing instructions Keoni gave him and opened it. As he looked through it, he discovered diagrams of figure drawing that seemed to build up the figure from simple lines, circles, squares, and triangles. All of these shapes, when combined together, made the pose. From the pose, clothing can be drawn, covering the overlapping lines of the shapes. Then when the underlying lines of the shapes are erased, the form began to appear before his eyes. Then the finer details can be drawn in.

Izzy couldn't believe what he was reading. Drawing couldn't possibly be that simple! It looked so easy to start out! Maybe he really was making a big deal about nothing!

Then he flipped to the back of the book and his jaw dropped clear off his face.

The drawing at the end looked incredibly intricate! There were so many shapes overlapping each other, and going in so many different directions and angles! Whoever the artist was, they must've been some kinda supercomputer to draw so many shapes and still know what the heck they were putting together! Oddly enough, all of those shapes and lines came together to form an entire cityscape!

Izzy sighed dismally. Art truly was a complicated thing... Could he ever hope to make something like that using just a pencil and eraser? He thought about it for a moment, then glowered at the book. Keoni was right, he wouldn't know until he tried! Maybe there was some latent artistic ability lying within! For all he knew there was probably a big drawing pad full of his artwork back home waiting for him! Yeah, that had to be the case!

Almost as soon as that last thought crossed his mind, his head began to throb. A burning sensation followed shortly after. Izzy bit back the groan of pain that was building in his throat. He flinched as the feeling grew. Was this another memory? He put a hand to his forehead and clenched his teeth, forcing himself to keep quiet. It wasn't happening though. Keoni's words came back to him in full force.

"Don't hold it in..."

"Stay positive..."

"Gah!" He couldn't hold it anymore. The pain was at its most intense. He threw his head back as he grabbed his forehead.

"Izzy!" Keoni gasped, turning from his painting. He dropped his paintbrush and lunged at Izzy, holding him. "What is it? Stay calm!"

"My-my head...!"

"Don't fight it! Let the memory come! Take a deep breath!"

Izzy did as he was told. He took several deep breaths, trying to take his mind off the pain. The throbbing lessened a little, but was still hurting. Izzy kept up his breathing, shuddering in Keoni's arms. Then it happened. His eyes opened wide, pupils dilating.

Strange objects appeared before his eyes, only...they weren't actual objects. They looked more like drawings...diagrams. They appeared one by one, as if being played on a slide projector.

A catapult...

A modified paintball gun...

A giant robot...

Hundreds of weird and sometimes destructive things flashed through his mind. Then numbers and formulas flickered in and out of the picture. Were these...blueprints? For what? A lot of the objects looked like things Izzy wouldn't dream of using in real life. What possible practical use does a tiger trap have!? Were these all...designed by his own hand?

Izzy gasped, returning to reality. Keoni looked relieved to see the other boy's eyes return to normal.

"Whew... Thank goodness you're alright... That was probably the fastest flashback you've ever had, brah!"

"Heh... I'm...I'm just glad it's over..." Izzy said, rubbing his head. "That advice you gave me really helped. That didn't hurt nearly as much as the previous ones."

"So what'd you see?"

"Well, the good news is I have some drawing experience."

"And the bad news?"

"My imagination was really messed up before I lost my memory."

He told Keoni about the strange contraptions he saw in his mind. Keoni seemed rather unfazed by the things Izzy told him, having heard most of it from Sam already. This was one detail of the amnesiac's previous life Keoni wasn't sure he should be remembering, but maybe it wasn't so bad that it was out in the open. After all, if Izzy was aware of these blueprints, he could get rid of them and start anew. Maybe even start inventing things that'd be useful and help mankind. Who knew such a positive thing could come from simply wanting to pass the time during a rainy day?

A happy accident.

Keoni shrugged at that thought and turned back to Izzy.

"You feeling better, cuz?"

"Loads better!" Izzy nodded happily. "Now that I know I can draw, I'm really gonna make you something special! You're gonna wanna frame it after I'm done! ...Soon as I figure out what to draw, of course..."

Keoni blinked, then giggled at Izzy's bravado. "You're something else, ya know that?"

"Heh, I try." Izzy winked. He grabbed a pencil and twirled it between his fingers. "Let's get drawing!"

Nodding at that, Keoni returned to his seat by the easel, keeping a cautious eye on Izzy. The raven haired boy was giddy with excitement as he stared at a blank page of the drawing pad. Satisfied he wasn't going to have another flashback, Keoni went back to painting.

Izzy, meanwhile, was still trying to think up what to draw. He racked his brain trying to come with something. Maybe he should try drawing out a simple introductory picture of himself waving hello? Nah, that didn't sound like much. How about a drawing of Keoni's tree house? No, Keoni could see that anytime! Whatever Izzy was going to draw, it had to be something memorable! Something that will leave a permanent impression on Keoni's mind! But what?

Giving up, Izzy reached over and pulled Keoni's other pads towards him. He piled them up on his lap. Maybe something inside one of these books will spark his imagination. He certainly hoped so, because as it was, he was suffering a major block! Of course, this was not unlike his other block. That might as well be a giant wall blocking his memories from returning. He sighed and opened the book at the top of the pile.

Izzy gave an interested look when he flipped to the first painting. He held back the "awww" that was building up. He was looking at a page full of hand prints. Tiny little hands of different colors littered the page from all angles. No doubt this was what Keoni meant when he said he started painting from the moment he first held a paintbrush. Izzy giggled to himself as he imagined a four or five year old Keoni literally paint his hands, then press them to the page. It was hard to believe he was looking at what could've been Keoni's very first painting.

Izzy smiled softly as he brought one of his own hands to a hand print and compared sizes. Naturally, his hand dwarfed the tiny hand print. He chanced a glance at Keoni, who was busily painting. Hard to believe someone as amazing as him can come from such a humble beginning.

Then he turned the page and nearly busted a gut. It was more or less the same as the first painting, only instead of hand prints, footprints covered the page! Izzy grinned like a fool as he imagined the younger Keoni take off his shoes and socks, soak his tiny feet in paint, and walk all over the paper! No doubt the mess he made that day had to have been epic! He must've tracked his footprints all over the classroom as his teacher chased him while the other kids laughed it up!

Briefly Izzy wondered what it would've been like to have known Keoni at that age. Would they have become as good friends as they were now? What would it have been like growing up together? Would they know each other inside out? Would they have had crazy adventures? Would they have had sleepovers and learn sports at the same time? Would they have already fallen in love?

...Would they have already had their first kiss?

Blushing profusely, Izzy turned the page. The rest of the book contained slightly more complex paintings. They were simple landscapes of a beach, volcano, and even a recreation of the map of the Hawaiian islands. He saw a painting of Keoni's tree house (he breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't go through with that idea) as well as some drawings of Keoni's parents, Mommi, and a new person. The man was just as big as Mommi, but sported a blue muumuu, striped shorts, and a ponytail. He was captured in the middle of throwing a happy stick figure Keoni in the air.

Upon seeing the man, Izzy felt a twinge in his head, but shook it out of his system. He had no memory of the man and he really didn't want to start another flashback right now. But the guy did look familiar. Maybe a relative he had yet to meet? Either way, the painting, simple as it was, depicted the most important people in Keoni's life at the time.

Shaking his head, Izzy closed the pad and put it aside, grabbing another. The paintings in this book was more complex, but still simple looking. No doubt Keoni was starting to get comfortable painting at this point of his life. Izzy noted he began using watercolors. In the soft glow of the lamp, the artwork looked more faded with age, but was still well detailed. Izzy saw nearly nothing but paintings of animals.

As he looked through this book, Izzy realized just how little of Oahu he's actually seen. It was clear from looking at the paintings that Keoni traveled all over the island even at that young an age. ...Or more likely, went to the zoo a lot.

Either way, Izzy marveled at depictions of exotic animals including dolphins, sea turtles, mongeese, pheasants, owls, and a spider with a smiling face on its abdomen. Thanks to his flashback the other day bringing back memories of his time as a gamer, Izzy would've suspected the spider to be inspired by a certain monster catching series. He dismissed it, knowing the opposite to be true.

Among the animal paintings, landscapes were peppered about. There was a beautiful painting of the very waterfall Izzy visited the other night. A faint rainbow was seen within the mist of the falls. Birds were painted flying above. This must've been painted after Keoni first discovered the hideaway. The sight made Izzy close his eyes and think back to that night at the waterfall with Keoni. That was probably the most comfortable he had ever been with the other boy. How Keoni confessed that he never showed anyone the place most special to him. Confiding in Izzy that he wanted to trust the amnesiac and vice versa.

Izzy chuckled inwardly as he thought about how close he was to kissing Keoni, only to wind up plummeting a good hundred feet to the lake below. He then grinned at the memory of the Eskimo kiss and splash fight that followed shortly after. That Keoni... What a clown! A funny, adorable, good looking, hot clown!

A contemplative look crossed the amnesiac's features. Should he try drawing a scene from that night? Perhaps what he really wanted to do with Keoni right then and there? Izzy frowned at that. Would Keoni even understand the message? More than likely, he may interpret that as a joke. Another round of their silly game to make the other blush. Izzy pouted at the thought. To think they've gotten so used to pranking each other, the one time he wanted to do something nice for Keoni and he can't even do it! Now he was regretting not kissing Keoni and ending the game sooner!

Izzy grumbled to himself, putting the idea in the maybe pile. He had to think of something! If he kept this up, the day will end without him so much as putting down a line on the paper!

He turned the page and saw a painting (this time with actual paint) depicting a nene standing in the middle of the jungle. The bird was detailed incredibly well, to the point he could make out the ridges on its beak and the feather pattern. It was truly beautiful! Safe to say Iggy would love this painting! He made a mental note to take a picture of this one to give his little brother before leaving for home.

That was when he noticed a volcano in the background. Izzy scowled as he thought back to his jaunts up and down the volcano with great Uncle Hiwe. The thought of racing with the old man yelling in his ear sent shivers down his spine. Then there was the insane sprint into the volcano to get those volcano lillies. Izzy blinked and wondered if it wouldn't be a good idea to draw that. Hey yeah, Keoni might like that! An action scene showing Izzy running at full speed, a spire of lava closing in on him! That could be the perfect thing to show Keoni how brave he was and how much he was willing to sacrifice for the love of his life!

...Then again, that day was the absolute last thing he wanted to relive! Scared for his life and wondering if he'd ever see Keoni or Iggy ever again! Besides, that would probably scare the living daylights out of Keoni too. The boy did worry about Izzy a lot, after all...

There was a heavy sigh as Izzy set the book aside. It was no use. Everything he thought of sounded so bad and would probably insult Keoni. He wanted to draw something that would show Keoni that he loved him dearly and wanted to spend every living day with him. Nothing would come up however. Izzy's mind felt emptier than the day he first woke up on this strange island. He pulled out the next drawing pad from his lap and opened it, hoping inspiration will strike.

The very first thing he saw was a painting of that big man from the first book. The adult was dressed in skating gear and a disco outfit, riding a skateboard down a hill. Izzy raised an eyebrow at that before thinking back to the story Leilani told him the other night. How Keoni's uncle would tell the light brunette these stories of him and his friend pulling off stunts on skateboards. How Keoni wanted nothing but to be as good a skater as him.

His Uncle...Tito! That's who this guy was! Tito! Izzy nodded to himself. That had to be it! And then he remembered how Keoni mentioned he had an uncle back in Ocean Shores. No doubt this was the guy! No wonder Izzy felt that twinge earlier! His memory must've gotten stirred up by the painting! Hard to believe he actually managed to remember something from his past without breaking into another painful flashback! ...Too bad he didn't remember much else.

But it was a start.

Anyway, Izzy turned the page to see a painting of a birthday cake with seven candles on it, as well as a large open gift box containing a skateboard and protective gear. This was Keoni's seventh birthday, the year he received his first skateboard so he can start practicing to be as great as his uncle. Izzy smiled as he flipped through various scenes of a younger Keoni skating and performing unbelievable feats.

Some of the stunts depicted were scenes that only a seven year old can come up with. Jumping through a hoop of flames on a board. Jumping over a pit of vicious tigers, and of course, riding a jet propelled skateboard off the earth. In that last one, a grinning depiction of Keoni was riding with an equally happy looking Tito through space. Izzy gave a giggle at the pictures. This was without a doubt the most innocent time of Keoni's life. When he was starting to branch out into the world. The paintings were becoming even more detailed too. He started putting shadows and textures into his work. Each painting looked happier than the last. It did Izzy's heart well to see that this was when Keoni was at his happiest. No doubt his seventh year of life was pretty sweet.

Izzy blinked at that. Seventh? Keoni was seven at the time of these paintings? Wasn't that the same year he met...!?

'Ruh-roh!'

Izzy gulped the golf ball sized lump in his throat, eyes widening in foreboding horror.

Keoni...he...he couldn't have...!

He didn't...!

He wouldn't...!

Izzy chewed on his lower lip nervously as he turned the page.

Sure enough, the very next painting he saw was of Leoni, his rival for Keoni's heart. A deep growl built up in his throat as glared daggers at the preteen (at the time of the painting). Unfortunately for Izzy, Keoni was all too good at depicting the older boy. He could tell every stroke was done with love and affection. Izzy's teeth clenched dangerously and his free fist tightened as he went through the pages. The subject of nearly every single picture from then on was of Lee! There were paintings of Lee surfing, skating, even eating his lunch! Never mind the fact there were hearts drawn all over every single painting! There was one where Lee was dressed in only a pair of swimming trunks licking an ice cream cone with a seductive, come hither look on his face. The treat was melting and dripping all over the boy's body!

Izzy wanted to rip every painting of Lee to shreds, but he held back. He had to. He promised Keoni he'd treat the paintings with respect, like fine China. That included the ones of the blasted Adonis too! He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He looked away as he roughly, but carefully turned the pages. He couldn't stand to see any more. He could only dread what else Keoni must've painted during those years. For all he knew, Keoni probably painted a few of him and Lee kissing, or worse! Thankfully, those would've only been a fantasy, but still! He only looked back at the drawing pad when he felt he was past the "Lee phase" of Keoni's life.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a painting of an airplane flying over the ocean. Finally he was away from that horrible subject. Looking at the date at the corner of the page, it was two years later. Keoni was nine and, as Izzy could only guess, was taking his first trip away from home to see Tito. Izzy gasped sharply in realization. Tito lived in Ocean Shores, which can only mean one thing! These next paintings were likely going to be of Izzy's home! Finally he was going to see some landmarks and maybe even people from where he lived!

Excitedly, he turned the page to see a building, a restaurant to be exact. The words, "Shore Shack" were displayed prominently on the facade. Izzy smiled, remembering that he had an old menu inside his wallet. To think this was probably a place he visited often. A place that offered him solace and peace, as well as juicy burgers! He turned the page to find some kids depicted. Izzy's eyes went wide as saucers when he saw Sam standing there among three other kids, Tito, and another gentleman. Izzy looked at the two adults with interest. Keoni seemed to paint them pretty close to each other...

Boyfriends maybe?

…

Nah!

Izzy shook his head, inwardly chuckling at the thought. There was probably not enough space on the paper.

Anyway, back to the kids. Izzy thought he would've flinched and went into a screaming fit upon seeing the painting of his rival. As it turned out, he did just the opposite.

He cried.

He teared up and bawled at the sight. But the crazy part was he was smiling even as his tears fell down his face.

Keoni jumped, shocked at the sudden noise. He snapped his head at Izzy and raised a weirded out eyebrow at him.

"You ok, Izzy?.?.? What's wrong?.?.?"

"It...It's just...!" Izzy sniffled, wiping his eyes with his arm. He turned and showed Keoni the painting, grinning uncontrollably. "I'm so close to remembering home, and I can't wait to meet these people! Wh-who are all these guys!? I know I've seen them before! Th-they were in my dream! WAAAAHHHHH!.!.!"

"Calm down, Izzy!" Keoni panicked, snatching the drawing pad away. "You're gonna get the pictures all wet! Come here..."

He set the paintings aside and grabbed Izzy in a tight hug. Again, the dark kid found his face buried in Keoni's chest while the lighter brunette rubbed his back soothingly. Izzy's body heaved as he took sharp breaths, crying even louder. It took quite some time before Izzy finally calmed himself. He felt happy, but totally drained as he pulled away from Keoni. He was getting rather thirsty too. Who knew he had so many tears inside him?

"Ya feeling any better?" Keoni asked.

"Y-yeah... Do we still have any of that juice left?"

"Oh yeah..."

Keoni turned and grabbed the bottle of pineapple orange juice that was sitting in the basket, as well as the other cup. He poured some into the cup and handed it to Izzy, who gulped it down almost instantly.

"Whew..." Izzy took a deep breath. "That's better... Sorry about scaring you like that..."

"It's alright, brah." Keoni picked up the drawing pad and looked at the painting curiously. "Heh, I forgot I even did this one... Must've painted it while I was on that trip, and then put it away once I got back home. You wanna hear about my friends?"

Izzy actually thought about it for a moment before ultimately shaking his head.

"I...I do...want to hear about them..." He confessed shakily. "Just...not now... We've already used up enough time talking. I just want to try to figure out what to draw..."

Keoni blinked oddly at that. "Well, alright... You'll have to learn about them eventually, cuz. We're going to meet them when we get to Ocean Shores..."

Izzy nodded wordlessly, acknowledging that fact. Keoni gave him a gentle smile.

"If you change your mind, just say the word. I'll be happy to tell you all about them. Like I told ya a long time ago, they're good people. Just remember, they volunteered to take care of Iggy for you."

"Yeah, I remember..." Izzy smiled. "I'll never forget that..."

He took the drawing pad back from Keoni and resumed his place on the bed, against the headboard. He took a deep breath as he looked back at the painting again. He smiled softly as he regarded the four kids standing side by side. Next to Sam stood the boy in the striped kangol hat from Izzy's dream. Interestingly, Keoni chose to paint him with his arm around Sam and smiling broadly while Sam's eyes were facing away while blushing. That made Izzy tilt his head in thought. Was this the Twister Keoni talked about before? Did he think these two boys had a thing from the very first moment he met them? Was Keoni truly that in tune to the hearts of others? Was this another hidden facet of the Aloha Spirit?

Izzy shook his head at those questions. Most likely Keoni made a habit out of guessing people's relationships through his paintings. Probably a result of his infatuation with Lee. Could be Keoni was so in love at the time, he felt he could see love everywhere, even in total strangers. Admirable (if not completely insane), but it certainly wasn't a thought Izzy wanted to entertain. He was still a tad miffed about those paintings of Lee.

In any case, the purple haired girl and boy with red dreadlocks barely rung a bell either. They were in his dream too, of course, but they hardly did a thing. They just...sat there, like they were forced to come to his funeral. He certainly recalled them from several of his previous flashbacks too. Guess they hung around with Sam and Twister for whatever reason. Either way, they seemed like a friendly bunch. To think these kids showed Keoni around Ocean Shores and shared so much with him. Izzy wondered if they'd be willing to show him the same hospitality.

He shrugged at his thoughts as he went through the book. The next few pages featured landmarks throughout Ocean Shores. He marveled at pictures of the beach resting against a row of shops and various businesses, a pier complete with an amusement park, a dirt bike track nestled among factories, a grand forest, and a skate park (albeit a much smaller looking one than what he was used to in Manu Wikiwiki) among others.

Each painting excited Izzy more than the last. To think he may have visited each of these places dozens of times with Iggy by his side. He could only wonder what situations he and his brother may have gone through. Then he thought about an interesting factoid: these were all places Keoni set foot on as well. That made Izzy scratch his head. Could they truly have been in any of these places at the same time? Could they have met ages before that faithful meeting in this very room, but somehow forgot about each other? Maybe they missed each other by mere minutes in every one of these places. Izzy thought about asking Keoni about these places, but decided against it. He looked very busy behind his canvas and Izzy didn't want to break his concentration...again. Izzy decided to save that question for later.

He flipped the pages some more and found the rest of the book contained action paintings of Keoni with each of the four kids from earlier. There were a couple of pictures of him and Sam talking while something happened in the background. Usually someone else performing a trick. One had the two of them playing a video game in a bedroom, perhaps the latter's? Then Izzy saw some paintings of Keoni and Twister doing tricks in a cul-de-sac while they traded a video camera back and forth. Keoni looked amazing in each of them, which wasn't too much of a surprise, given he was the artist.

Oddly enough, the majority of paintings involved that kid with the red dreadlocks doing all sorts of crazy moves. Skating, surfing, playing street hockey, busting mad air on a dirt bike. If Izzy didn't know any better, he'd have sworn Keoni was into this guy during his trips! That feeling multiplied when he considered that most of the paintings was of the boy in his swimming trunks. Never mind that Leilani told him Keoni was very happy during these trips to the mainland. Izzy would have to ask him about these paintings later, though he was sure there was nothing overly dubious about them.

The last couple of paintings in the book were of Keoni talking with that purple haired girl. The scenes were done in night. They were sitting on a bench at a park or maybe it was someone's backyard? They'd both be looking up at the starry sky. Izzy noted that Keoni had a contemplative, almost nervous look on his face while the girl had a supportive, though surprised expression on her face. Was Keoni confessing something to her?

Izzy turned the page and found the answer. A speech bubble was painted over Keoni. Inside it was a bust of Lee with hearts all around it. Guess Keoni was telling the girl about the boy waiting for him back home. Izzy gave a disgruntled sigh and rolled his eyes. It was safe to assume Keoni was feeling anxious about going back home. He must've decided to tell the girl about his feelings for Lee because he had no one to talk to about it. Judging by the supportive look depicted on her face, Keoni made the right choice to speak to her. She likely gave Keoni some advice on the matter.

Sure enough, the very next painting was of an excited looking Keoni hugging the girl in gratitude. Despite the subject of the conversation, Izzy was happy to see Keoni looking so relieved and confident. This girl must be someone used to giving out life advice. Perhaps she was the most grounded of the quartet. Maybe Izzy could learn a thing or two from her when he returns home.

Home...

The thought of returning home made Izzy think back to the other night with Leilani. If he remembered her story right, the next part was going to be the absolute worst part of Keoni's life. Izzy gulped as he grabbed the next drawing pad. He had a hesitant look on his face as he regarded the cover. He wasn't sure if he should be looking at these personal thoughts of Keoni without him there to put it all in context. At the same time, his nagging need to find out what happened between his love and Lee ate at him. Nodding to himself, Izzy opened the book, jumping right in.

At first, the paintings were harmless enough. Just a painting of an airplane flying back to Oahu and several pictures of Keoni and Leoni battling it out in various sports while Leilani, Niko, and Iwalani cheered them on. A few animals and landscapes were there too.

But then for about half of the book, the subject exclusively became Lee again. No doubt Keoni was reaching his limit regarding his crush at this point. It was so much more than that. He truly and undoubtedly fell in love with Lee. The paintings depicted a future with the older boy. A future that Keoni wanted to spend the rest of his life with the teenager. There were scenarios of them tandem surfing, pulling off all sorts of weird and overly lovey dovey formations. Keoni depicted them standing before a crowd as prom kings, dancing their first dance under a spotlight, love shining in their eyes. Then in the painting that nearly broke Izzy's heart, Keoni and Lee were depicted standing at the altar, dressed in matching tuxedos, hands clasped together. They...they were getting...married... They were kissing in front of their friends and family, doves flying above their heads.

Izzy gripped his chest and fought back tears of betrayal, reminding himself this was in the past. Keoni didn't have these feelings anymore. Lee rejected him. Keoni loved only Izzy, Leilani said so herself, and she was the closest one to him! Then why...? Why does it hurt so much? It was like his heart was shattering, but Izzy had to remain strong. Keoni didn't feel this way about Lee anymore. He didn't and he never will again!

But if that's true...then why does he still have these paintings? Why didn't he destroy them? Surely Keoni would want to forget the one that broke his heart!?

Izzy's eyes widened at that. Maybe...he...he didn't want to forget... Perhaps Keoni felt if he forgot Lee, threw away the paintings, he wouldn't be able to grow. Rather than take the easy way out, he decided to keep them so he could grow as an artist, a person. To forget all of this would mean completely throwing away his past and all the good memories associated with it.

Izzy bowed his head at the thought. It sounded a lot like his situation. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't forget about Sam or Iggy. He needed to remember them again so he could move on with his life and avoid making the same mistakes again. ...If only he remembered those mistakes... But once he does...maybe he could remember the good memories they brought him.

Izzy smiled as he turned the page, his confidence returning. He'd never want to forget everything he's been through, not on this journey or before he lost his memory. He wanted to remember it all and keep it in his heart so he could grow, just as Keoni has. He wanted to be as strong and happy as his love.

He looked down and found he was looking at a landscape of a beach. There was a fire pit as well as a canoe and a pair of surfboards stuck in the sand close to each other. The sight made him think back to Niko's story. The story of the day Keoni laid out his heart to Lee. The day Lee... Izzy gulped, then glowered at the painting. He had to continue. He had to find out what happened.

He turned the page and saw an underwater scene. Izzy blinked and momentarily forgot his trepidation. He marveled at the myriad colors and details Keoni managed to put into this piece. It was like looking at a whole other world. Fish and sea turtles swam every which way. A dolphin was swimming far in the background. Seaweed and coral grew from the rocks and sand. Sunlight came down in wavy columns, brightening up the water for the two divers. Keoni and Lee were depicted wearing only swimming trunks and snorkels. A fishing net was being held up between them. There was already a bunch of fish, crabs, and shrimp caught in the net. The way it was all detailed, Izzy could tell Keoni put a lot of effort into this one. There was no doubt it'd be framed and hanging somewhere in the room...had things went Keoni's way that day...

Turning the page, he found a painting of the two boys sitting in an underwater cavern, their catches lying between them. A pair of glow sticks were providing the only light. They were sitting across from each other in the small space, legs submerged in water. Izzy could tell Keoni was looking especially nervous. The artist depicted himself with a blush on his face. He was wringing his hands anxiously. Was this...the moment he finally confessed to Lee? Izzy gripped the edge of the page and turned it, holding his breath.

Turns out he saw...nothing? Izzy blinked oddly. The next pages were blank. But that couldn't be! Leilani said Keoni painted non-stop after that day! He went through the pages desperately looking for any sort of painting, only to find nothing but white staring back at him! Izzy couldn't understand at all...that is, until he turned to Keoni. He looked closely at the canvas to find that several more paintings were tucked behind the one Keoni was working on.

Izzy's eyes widened in realization. Keoni must've been so distraught that he threw the drawing pad in with the others after that horrible experience underwater! He wanted to start anew with his paintings and decided to leave the book unfinished. Izzy sighed at that. Keoni had to have been even more tweaked than he thought... If only Izzy could find out what happened... He wanted Keoni to leave any and all thoughts of Lee behind and think only of him. But what could he do? He certainly couldn't go up to Keoni and snatch the paintings from him, demanding to find out what happened! What would he think of Izzy then?

The amnesiac shook his head. There were no more drawing pads except the empty one Keoni left him. No more answers were going to come, not today anyway. He shut the book and put it with the others, making them as neat and orderly as possible. Then he picked up the blank drawing pad, opening up to the first page.

He must've sat there for an hour trying to figure out what to draw before it dawned on him. A lot of Keoni's paintings were simple, but conveyed a message. All of them did. Maybe that was all Izzy needed, a simple message to convey to Keoni. He nodded to himself. He'll draw Keoni something simple that said something profound.

And then...

He snapped his fingers, an idea finally forming! That's what he'll draw! Why didn't he think of that sooner!? But first though, he wanted to make sure the message truly hit home, so he wrote a note. A letter from the heart meant only for Keoni's eyes, or at least that's what he'd say if he planned on giving this letter to Keoni. He was writing it more to remind himself why he wanted to draw this picture. To give himself a reason for picking the theme he picked. Once he finished the note, he read over it several times, making sure it sounded right in his mind. He wished to imprint the words onto his heart.

Wiping away a tear (pouring out his heart always makes him tear up), Izzy flipped the page and got right to work. Considering he spent the last couple of hours mixed up about what to draw, he was surprised at how fast the pencil moved. He got through constructing and posing the figures quickly. Then he proceeded to draw the figures' body parts, taking care to erase the overlapping construction lines. Then he got into the finer details.

About an hour later, Keoni pulled back from the canvas and stretched his arms. It was early in the afternoon and the rain was still pouring down on the hut. He looked up and smiled as he looked around the ceiling. He was used to the sturdiness of his room during storms, but it never ceased to amaze him that the straw ceiling never leaked, even during the heaviest of downpours. Despite the harsh, biting wind, the rafters never buckled, not even once. He had to hand it to Mommi. She's truly amazing when it comes to constructing things for the family.

He blinked when he heard blowing and scribbling. His focus turned towards the bed. There was Izzy drawing intently with a level of concentration Keoni only saw in himself. The amnesiac was laying on his belly, legs moving back and forth through the air as he worked. His bare feet stopped often when the boy was thinking about his next idea. His toes would wiggle or Izzy would cross his feet to scratch at an itch. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as he put down his pencil to erase a mistake. Pink shavings were quickly littering the foot of Keoni's bed. He didn't mind though.

Keoni suppressed a giggle at the sight. It was certainly a relief to see Izzy relaxed and having fun. He wasn't even minding the occasional burst of thunder anymore. The lighter brunette was glad he decided to share his past paintings after all. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't watching Izzy's reactions out of the corners of his eyes as he went through the old drawing pads. He was sure the raven haired boy had tons of questions for him, and he was prepared to answer them.

So it was surprising, almost disappointing, that Izzy was silent for the most part. Keoni wanted to talk about what happened with Lee and all of the experiences behind his other paintings, especially the ones that took place in Ocean Shores. After yesterday's outburst, he wanted—no, needed—to get Lee off his chest once and for all. He wanted to leave Lee in the past, never to bother him or Izzy ever again. He wanted the amnesiac to know there was nothing to fear. That they'd both be together forever.

He heaved a sigh as he turned back to his painting and grabbed the brush. As he soaked the brush in water and changed colors, he wondered if he'd ever get to show Izzy his recent works and explain the meaning behind them. He gave the canvas a bittersweet smile. He will...someday.

As it turned out, Keoni's opportunity came sooner rather than later.