Kaui receives a call from her mother, who tells her that Noa is missing. She offers to come home, but her mother tells her she should stay in school. She says Dean is coming home, but “he’s not in school anymore” (196).

Kaui is convinced that Noa will eventually return from the valley. However, her relationship with Van changes after the call, like it was “a curse or something” (198). Van stops returning her calls.

Kaui confronts Van about the chill in their relationship. Van explains that she was drunk at the festival and that she’s “done with guys for now. But that doesn’t mean I’m gay” (200). Kaui insists that she’s not gay, but Van doesn’t believe her.

Dean receives a call from his mother telling him that Nainoa is missing. He flies back to Hawai‘i and joins the search on the Big Island. Dean’s father tells jokes and laughs a lot, but Dean notices he is not okay. Dean decides to continue the search on his own after his parents and others have given up. “I’ll sleep on the goddamn trail,” he says (210).