Dates to Remember

Furriest of Them All

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Those black beady eyes stared back at him. And he was very disappointed at her for failing to save that child in the claw machine.

"Sorry, that's our last token. We didn't get them both but it was a good try though," the girl in a different school uniform said as she patted his slumped shoulders.

"No," he said with a grunt. "You just suck at playing this. In the first place, we could've gotten it if you weren't so bad."

"Yeah, whatever. It's getting late. Let's go home."

"I will come back for you, my friend. Wait for me." He promised while staring at the plushie behind the glass before forcing himself to turn away.

The two elementary children walked out of the arcade with two little dolls and one massive stuffed toy. She put the smaller dolls in a paper bag while Kai was hugging the larger one.

"I got flute lessons tomorrow," the girl said, standing idly beside him.

He nodded. "Okay."

"Just tell me when you want to go back for it." She then forced the paper bag onto his hand before climbing in the waiting bus. "I'll lend them to you in the meantime. So, you must return them once we rescue that other big one, alright?"

"Alright." He gave her a small good bye wave as the bus door shut.

However, that was the last time he saw her before his family decided to move from one country to another for the last seven years.

"This better be worth our senior trip," Dani said while driving through the Big Island highway.

"Of course," Kai laughed, sitting in the passenger seat. "Even if we don't find her, I promise that this will be one of the best summers in your life!"

"Don't mess with me," the other scoffed. "I was born and raised here. Hell, we even went to the same school until you suddenly disappeared, you asshole."

"You're still bitter about that? I already told you what happened."

They parked the car outside an old establishment. With faded posters and the paints peeling off, time had obviously not been kind to the quaint little arcade place he used to go to. But the welcoming feeling it emits was still the same.

"You travel this far just to meet this girl you're looking for?" Dani said, looking around the place.

"Long story. I'll tell you next time."

Kai swung his backpack on his shoulder before walking towards the low door with an Open sign. The lights inside were off and the window blinds were pulled up since its still bright out. Boxes of individually wrapped plastic figures and toys lined the front of the counter and some larger prizes were still displayed at the shelves behind it.

"Aloha!"

The familiar perky baritone voice sounded the moment they entered the building. A large mass of body covered mostly with black clusters of hair popped out somewhere from the back of the store. He effortlessly stacked the three crates of soda bottles in one corner.

"We're just sorting the delivery out there. You boys need anything?"

"Mister Hiapo." Kai smiled and hugged the huge man as tightly as he could.

Surprised and confused, the bulky man returned the gesture but eyed Dani as if to ask what was happening. Dani, on the other hand, just shrugged at him.