(NOT related to the movie)

"Hello?" Connor picks up the phone. It is a Sunday morning, the time of the week when everyone would give themselves a treat for surviving the whole week if they can afford to do so.

Unfortunately, one of the poor souls that cannot have the privilege to have a moment for their own self to enjoy is Connor, who is answering the phone with a messy look on his body: he has a major project on the topic of the history of Hawaii that must be completed during the weekend; and the project itself was so crucial that credit recovery would be required for anyone who failed it. And Connor does not want to see his name on the list of people who will have to take the credit recovery course this summer.

"Hey Con, are you at home?" Killian, a friend of his, answered on the other end. "And are you free right now to help me with my project?"

"Anything for my prince. Now what do you need?" Connor said, and chuckled on the phone.

Since Connor's piece was about Princess Ka'iulani, and Killian will make a project about Prince Kawānanakoa, the nickname basis started from then. No, it started before then.

Connor and Killian are a great example for a dynamic duo: everything they do go together, one way or another. And those two are so close, that there are rumors running around the school that they are actually engaged.

Like other deemed-to-be-best-friends couples usually do, they would use different approaches to object the claim. However, people would never ever believe their words, just because "that is basically nonsense".

The sun, like always during April, shines through the window of Connor's room as he started to get ready for the discussion session: the scattered paper sheets, fact cards and markers were all around his room, and Connor's figure were hustling between the large bookshelf of his and the table.

A beautiful pīkake lei dropped onto the floor, and Connor picked it up.

It was a memorabilia from Killian, when they decided to visit Maui.

Killian was not a crafty person, but he did a very good job with this lei, with all of the neatly placed flowers.

Connor glanced up, and saw a hibiscus from their visit to Hilo, and a picture of the duo in Waipahu.

His gut feelings told him he is sort of in love with Killian. If not, why would he keep every little thing he said about himself to his own remembrance?

Why would he feel that tingling feeling every time Killian held him close?

Just, why would he ever felt sparks every single time Killian is there?

All of his thoughts quickly disappear, as he heard Killian's voice exclaimed over the phone:

"Hello? Earth to Con, please respond?"

"What?" He answered, and earned back a chuckle from his friend:

"I asked whether or not you are at home, because I now live in Ewa and you still live in Ala Moana, which is two ends of Honolulu, and I don't want to cost three bucks for nothing."

"Alright, I'm at home. Now get here and I'll help you with your piece when I also have mine to take care of." Connor concealed the last part from Killian, with no intention to let him hear it.

He felt guilty, for not saying his heart out to the guy he actually is in love with.

Connor sighed, and silently pulled out the contents in his project piece.

"It shall be fine." He thought. "If he doesn't try to get all touchy-feely with me when we are working, everything should be fine."

An hour and a half later, Connor had to thank his guts for seeing that situation, because it really happened, only fifteen minutes in their work session.

Throughout the work session, Killian seems to get significantly more playful than his usual self, with all of the mischievous acts that he could possibly made that resulted in Killian and Connor having paint on their clothes and a brand new look on Connor's studio room.

"Stop, stop! Okay, I surrender!" Con panted out what he has in his lungs, and Killian chuckled:

"Such a scarecrow you are."

However, Connor does not really find that sentence hilarious at all.

He had to admit with himself, that he wasn't blessed with the fit build of a warrior like his father or a scientific mind like his own mother.

His thoughts were beautiful, the way they were spoken and written out loud, just like what he is- a mind full of dreams, hope and beautiful innocence, waiting for a perfect time to be told.

He is just like the azure colored waters of Kauai, while Killian is just like Mauna Loa.

Deep inside Connor lies a heart, desperate to be in love.

No, that's not it: desperate to be in requited love.

Connor was still deep in his own little world, when he heard an "ahem" sound and a loud knock on his door:

"Hey, are we going to start on working on this project or not? I'm bored." The raven-colored hair guy said, while Connor answered with a flushed look on his face:

"Okay, give me a sec, I'll take out mine then we'll work."

The next thirty minutes consists of Killian constantly asking Connor how to draw the legacy of Prince Kawānanakoa in a fashion that could interest the majority of people in their class, while Connor gets busy with making a presentation and finishing up his fictionalized story about Princess Ka'iulani.

In the occasions when a break is needed, Killian would ask Connor to take a look at his work. And as usual, Connor would give it the most honest compliments and criticisms that came from the truth from his heart and his mind combined.

Connor do not want to make Killian looked at him like he had said something that deeply offended him, but he knows he had to do it, in the way of becoming a good friend.

What Connor did not know, that Killian had hidden a beautiful artwork under all of his drawings and sketches.

Underneath it all, was a sketch of Connor, smiling. But God forbid Killian to show it right now, because he is planning for something much grander than what people would expect.

The exhibition for all of the projects is in four days. And the presentations will due in just forty-eight hours.

Killian and Connor are, respectively, the fourth and fifth one presenting, after the presenters for the Ancient Hawaii, King Kamehameha the First and Queen Liliuokalani topics.

Killian knows that his best friend is not ready, and lying deep inside his mind is a good amount of fear.

"What if I ruined the presentation? I can't let Killian down-he was so hopeful in me about this!" was the thought that crossed Connor's mind at that moment, but he decided not to let Killian know about it, because "he had enough on his plate already with his sketches and his picture book about Prince Kawānanakoa's legacy to even care about my little emotional issue". Plus, according to him, he needs to grow up and brace himself with the fact that Gilly (Killian's nickname) wouldn't be with him all the time and he had to accept that.

He kept everything to himself, right up to the moment when he was standing near the podium in the grand hall of his school, getting ready to present his work to the teachers.

Up there, Gilly was presenting his work with full-on confidence, and he has started on the second artifact of his project, which are the sketches:

"With me, the Hawaiian identity is more than just about the islands themselves, it is also about the people who live on those islands, and what have they brought here." As he was saying, a series of sketches were projected, with all of the familiar faces in the city of Honolulu. Indeed, it represented all races living on these islands.

But one thing that captured Connor's mind, heart and soul was the last sketch.

It was a sketch of a young boy, looking out to the sun setting with a prideful stance. He was wearing a salmon-colored tee, a navy blue pair of surfing shorts and a frangipani flower crown.

Then Connor's eyes went wide. It was a picture of him, standing on a cliff near an extinct volcano, while the grand sea was within sight.

That was the last sketch of the collection, and Connor's eyes started to water.

Is this a bad joke? If not, then why on earth would he show to the public a picture of Connor dancing the hula, while Gilly would have known already that Connor is not a very good dancer? And why did he choose him out of all people? Does he even remember that it is a public exhibition?

Gilly looked at Connor with a love struck look, but Connor has already making his way out of the room, his head hung down and his voice started to shake.

Everyone just sat there and looked at Connor's retreating figure, as Gilly continued his presentation with that unchanged confidence.

Connor ran out of the room and hide in a small corner of the school, when he started to cry.

Why would he keep on messing with his emotions and will not stop joking with his heart?

He decided to cut the rest of the class in the principal's office, thinking that it is the only place safe enough for him to be here without the curious looks from people in school.

When the bell signaled the end of the period, Connor decided to get to his next period, with the attitude of bracing himself for the wrath of his parents once they know he would have to attend credit recovery classes.

"Well, I'm good as long as I don't have any relation towards that guy anymore." was his only thought as he walked through the hallway to his Math class, not acknowledging the existence of anyone as he was walking by them.

"Connor, wait up!" Killian shouted behind him, and he answered:

"Thank you, Killian, for breaking my heart into pieces and let me realize for myself that you are just pretending to be my friend."

Connor kept on walking as the students hurrying up into the classroom, leaving Killian all alone, wondering what he just did.

---*---

Fortunately, Connor had the chance to redo the presentation and be eligible for exhibition, but that doesn't mean he would stand next to his former best friend.

However, faith has always bring on its evil side when it comes to people: both Killian and Connor were chosen to be two of the four guides of the tour, and that also mean Connor would have to work with Killian for half of a day.

"Alright, here we go..." was the only note that Connor has to himself during the torturous "tour", until he reached his and Connor's station.

The first impression of their stations was two huge sketches of Prince Kawānanakoa and Princess Ka'iulani, facing each other.

Connor watched with full fascination and a little blush of shyness, when Killian started to introduce both of their projects seamlessly. "Oh I remember, he works alongside me when we were preparing for these projects; no wonder he remember it so well!" was what crossed through Connor's mind during those time.

But that sketch of his was still there, gracefully framed and stood with pride at the far right corner of Killianʻs station.

Connor knows that this is the moment of truth, so he speaks up:

"Oh Killian, may you please introduce us to this...beautiful piece of art here, please?"

Killian stood frozen for a bit, but quickly got back to reality and started the explanation after a deep breath:

"I first thought about drawing this piece the night before the day of submission of artifacts to the exhibition, just because I felt like I need to give some of my stories in the artworks that I made."

Then, taking another deep breath, he continues his speech, his eyes still looking at Connor with passion and love:

"I always think that everyone has an Aloha Spirit inside them. That "Aloha Spirit" is someone who had a great positive impact on their lives. And also "Aloha" is a word with a lot of meaning, so everyone would define it differently..."

Connor stood there, an understanding look on his eyes. He knows that Killian is still coping with the fact that his parents divorced right after him coming "out of the closet", and he had a lot of stories to be told.

"But it doesn't give him the right to play with other people's emotions..." Connor thought to himself, right before Killian finishes up his explanation:

"I define it as love...and the person in that picture was my Aloha Spirit."

Connor fell silent along with the visitors when Killian kneeled down on one knee in front of his face:

"Connor, I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you all these time and kept playing with your heart, although I didn't purposely do it."

Connor's eyes started to tear up, after hearing the next sentence:
"So, can I make it up for you, by being your boyfriend?"

Connor quickly wiped away his tears, while Killian said with a hopeful tone:
"Can you forgive me? You know, the Pacific Ocean still embrace Mauna Loa even though it is a volcano..."

Connor immediately pulled Killian up near him, and whispered into his ear:

"I would love to be your boyfriend, but isn't now a not so good time for PDA?"

Killian looked at him with quizzed eyes, while Connor just shrugged:

"We literally have twenty people staring at us right now, Gilly. Keep things PG for now. Plus, that pick-up line needs improvement."

Killianʻs mouth hung open as a smile formed in his lips, and Connor leads the group onwards to the Tahitian Swing Age station.

"So...date after this?" Killian asked, after he had catches up with Connor.

"You owe me a chocolate milkshake and a burger for those two and a half years of me waiting my butt off for that sentence that you just said minutes ago." Connor replied, and earned back a laugh from Killian:

"It's a deal then."

Little do they know, that was only the start of the beautiful story of theirs...