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Chin remembers the day he meets his little sister clearly, despite only barely having grown out of being a toddler and tired to boot. She was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen: red, wrinkly, and screaming her head off. Already sharing her displeasure with the world, shamelessly and unapologetically.

Since then, nothing much has changed, in his opinion. Not anything essential, anyway.

Okay, so, she's no longer wrinkly.

That is it though.

On occasion, he only needs to follow the screaming to find her.

She's red-faced, hands balled into fists, and shouting at whoever was unfortunate (read: dumb) enough to enrage her.

Usually, there's a terrified kid half-hiding behind her back, staring at their rescuer with growing hero-worship. Or embarrassed anger.

It usually only goes two ways.

As she grows older, the boys at least turn to the second option more often.

Not that Nani seems to care.

Chin sighs as his troublesome little sister finishes correcting some misconceptions an unfortunate bully has suffered about little girls and their tolerance for stupidity.

For all of her four years, she's as explosive as a Chinese firecracker.

As soon as she sees him, her face smooths out and she grins at him. "Chin!"

"Howzit, little sis?"

"Can we go visit daddy at the office today?"

Chin knows she asks just because she wants to finagle their dad into buying shaved ice for them. But he wouldn't mind visiting the department either. And shaved ice is always a plus.

"Why not? Come on," he holds out his hand for her to take, which she does.

"Bye, Malia, hope you'll feel better soon!" Nani says to the tiny girl with wild curls who had been hiding behind her back this time.

For all her firecrackerness, Nani was possibly the kindest four year old he knew. (And Chin knew quite a lot, considering his vast family; blood and Ohana.)

Which would be why he rewarded her behavior by aiding and abetting any attempts at manipulating their dad into giving them shaved ice.

On the way to the Honolulu Police Department, where their dad works at, she tells him all about learning how to read and write her name.

Chin grins and ruffles her hair.

"And why did you protect Malia today?"

"Because Jack decided he needed to be mean to her. She was just playing, all peacefully, minding her own business, and he said she was annoying and destroyed her sand castle. That's not okay!"

"Of course not, you're right."

At least she hadn't beat the kid up. That always ends with their parents called to the kindergarten and both of them are working odd hours.

As soon as they reach the correct corridor, Nani lets go off his hand, running to their dad's office, pig tails trailing after her like flags in the wind.

Chin is too old to get away with following her example, so he just meanders after the little firecracker, returning the greetings some of the officers call out.

Meanwhile, Nani has managed to become situated on dad's lap, looking like a queen holding court.

Sighing, Chin contemplates rescuing their dad (and his dignity), or just pretending that nothing is going on.

Before he can come to a decision, another officer approaches Dad's desk.

There's a small boy toddling after him, looking a little uncertain about life at the moment.

"Sorry to disturb, Officer Kelly, but could I ask for a favor?" The haole says quickly.

Dad nods. "Sure, brah. You want me to watch your kid along with mine?"

The other man's shoulders slump a bit as some of the tension leaves them. "Yes, please. Mary is staying with a friend from kindergarten, so it's just Steve. But Doris is accompanying her class on a field trip and will only get back late tonight. But there's a new case for homicide up in the mountains, and, well," his voice trails off.

Dad just nods. "No problem, brah. Take care. Steve can stay with us tonight, don't worry."

"Thank you."

Chin watches as the officer kneels down to speak to his son.

"Sorry, buddy, but you can't help me any more today. Officer Kelly and his wife will look after you tonight, until your mom can come fetch you tomorrow. Please behave for them."

The kid sends them a hesitant look, but braces himself and nods.

His father ruffles his hair affectionately in turn. "Good boy. See you!"

Then he's off.

Nani has abandoned her throne, approaching the kid in her weirdly shy manner.

"Hi, I'm Nani and that is my big brother, Chin."

Chin waves lazily, adding a drawled "Howzit" for effect.

The kid relaxes a bit.

"I'm Steve, Steve McGarrett."

"Great!" Nani shakes his hand before the kid knows what happens to him. Then she drags him over to Dad's desk. "Can we get shaved ice, Daddy? To celebrate Steve coming over?"

She even bats her eyelashes at him, for added cuteness.

Chin knows for a fact that she used to practice that expression in their mom's floor-length mirror.

Their dad capitulates in ten seconds flat.

"Oh, alright. Just don't tell your mom."

"Okay," Nani chirps, dragging her new friend along to the exit.

Poor Steve only blinks owlishly as the tiny firecracker leads the way.

Chin sympathizes. Not everyone can deal with the blunt force trauma on two legs that is his sister.

Dad chuckles under his breath, watching the two with fond exasperation. "At least she decided she likes him."

There's a lot of relief in his voice.

"Hmm."

It turns out Steve likes shaved ice as much as the next kid and the beach is always a hit.

Nani and him run off their sugar high, neither so much as blinking when the other starts to chuck their clothing to run into the waves.

Dad watches them, smiling. He fishes their shirts and shorts out of the sand, shaking his head.

Chin wonders whether Nani finally found someone that can keep up with her.

The two have been running and shrieking and laughing or giggling madly for at least an hour now and there's no sign that they'll let up any time soon.

Eventually, Dad bundles everyone up and drives them home.

Steve is sharing Nani's bed, sleepily latching on to her like a limpet.

It's cute.

Chin checks his teeth for caries in the bathroom mirror, but they're just as white and healthy as ever.

The next morning before leaving, Steve tells his mom: "I'll marry Nani when I'm older. She's great fun."

Mom melts and Dad laughs.

Mrs. McGarrett chuckles, ruffling his hair.

Nani blushes a bit, but hugs him goodbye anyway.

That just goes to show that adults have no clue when to take their children seriously.

Because Chin catches the slight pout on Steve's face and the way his sister's eyes narrow. And if for no other reason than utter spite, Nani at least would agree in a heartbeat right now to get married to the kid if he just asked.

So, to conclude, Chin wouldn't be surprised if they announce their elopement in ten to fifteen years.

He knows his sister.