Pika never wanted to leave his Hawai'ian home, but his father ripped that from him. Now, every day, he lives under the threat of his ol'man's fist and the toxic malediction from a new stepmother. He's learned to cope within this hellish existence, while keeping all eyes out towards the horizon where his escape into freedom and a better life awaits him. He just needs to keep his head down low, long enough to finish school, then he'll be free to get away forever. Adding to his responsibility, he does all he can to shield his new stepsister, Ripley, from the same suffering. Upsetting the status quo, wouldn't you know it? A cool, tall drink of Japan walked into his life, tempting his heart with an invitation of love, pointing the way towards a happy life, while putting him all that much more in danger. The prospect of this new relationship is starting to strangle him, cornering him into a no-win situation, as he juggles between personal fulfillment and masking under isolation for the sake of self-preservation. Coming-of-Age Gay Fiction / Drama / Teen Trauma / Mixed Race / Wallflower Teen / Surviving Abuse / Hawai'ian Culture & Language & Pidgin Dialect / Endure for a Better Life / Life Against all Odds / Psychological / Protects a Step-Sibling / First Dates / Toxic Home / Abuse / Trauma / Refuse to be Broken / Best of Best-friends / Love is a Simple Life / Overcoming Hate / Meet-Cute-First love / Everyone Can See It / Grief & Coping / Finding a New Beginning / Bittersweet Survival / Gut-wrenching / Ugly cries / Trigger Warnings / Bittersweet HEA / Hard Earned HEA