In the tail end of Alola's rainy season, Kukui arrives to school soaked and dirty for three days in a row; when Samson asks if he lost his rain jacket, Kukui says he does not have one, and inadvertently reveals that he has been sleeping outside his house for the past week. Samson files a CWS report with this info, along with everything else he has gathered from the past year. However, he is concerned about where Kukui will end up, or where he will go during the investigation. Knowing the only adult Kukui ever speaks about is Hala, he approaches him with this information and asks for his help, assuming Hala might have political sway to make sure Kukui is taken care of.

Confronted with this evidence and reflecting on the past seven years, Hala is horrified with himself (and ashamed about not continuing his wife's family ministry after her death), and takes it upon himself to care for Kukui. He goes to Kukui's address directly to confront his father, finding the house condemned and Kukui living in squalor. He tracks down his father, living with a girlfriend across town, and gives him an ultimatum: give up his parental rights in writing, or be arrested and never see his child again. He chooses the former, and Kukui begins living with Hala.