Content Warning: This section features depictions of racism and xenophobia, the imprisonment of Japanese Americans, wartime distress and anxiety, and family separation. Additionally, the source material uses racial slurs and derogatory comments toward various ethnic groups.

The story begins in September 1941 against the vibrant backdrop of Honolulu, Hawaii. Tomikazu (Tomi) Nakaji, a 13-year-old first-generation Japanese American and eighth-grade student, returns home from a baseball game alongside his closest friend, Billy Davis, who is 13, white, and originally from the mainland. As they approach the Nakaji residence, they discover Tomi’s grandfather, Grampa Joji, hoisting an enormous Japanese flag on the clothesline.

Although Tomi usually finds Grampa Joji’s antics amusing, he panics at seeing the flag displayed. In a heated exchange, Tomi points out tensions rising due to an influx of Japanese immigrants and Japan’s stance in World War II. Grampa Joji emphasizes the importance of embracing their Japanese heritage. Tomi, however, asserts his American identity, sparking a heated argument that only subsides when Mama Nakaji intervenes.

Mama Nakaji, Tomi’s mother, who emigrated from Japan, underscores the potential repercussions of Grampa Joji’s actions. She explains that Mr. Wilson, their landlord and her employer, disapproves of any Japanese paraphernalia on his property.