On a quiet Polynesian island, 14-year-old Ari and her father Manu live alone after her brother’s death in a crash. Ari is plagued by nightmares and secretly feels at fault for the accident, while her activist father blames the French government.

Ari’s best friend and his mom barely scrape by due to chronic illness and a failing hostel. Manu wants to informally adopt the boy for stability, but Ari resists. Ari then gets diagnosed with a rare blood cancer which may be related to historical nuclear testing. One morning, Angela has serious trouble breathing and Natua calls an ambulance. Angela closes the hotel and asks Manu to adopt Natua.

Six years later, Ari arranges a secret trip to Paris for treatment. Natua accompanies her, then visits Spain to look for his dad. Natua learns the man—recently dead—was married at the time of Natua’s conception. He meets a half-sister and faces an angry widow.

Ari is hospitalized. At home, Angela also ends up hospitalized.

Manu struggles to locate Natua. When the two talk, Natua confesses Ari is missing. After finding Ari, Natua spends a few days with her; they kiss. Natua flies home alone; his mother dies while he’s enroute. He then discovers Angela had been talking with his father all along.

Manu reaches Paris after Natua leaves. Ari tells Manu she caused her brother’s death. Manu counters by admitting his role in the crash. Ari and Manu fly home with the chemotherapy pills Ari needs.

Natua and Ari begin dating. At the pension, Natua finds a suitcase full of jewelry. He sells most of it to re-open the pension. Ari stops treatment shortly after returning home. Natua proposes and they get married in an emotional beach ceremony. She stops dialysis, then dies.

Months later, Natua’s half-sister visits. She passes along a life insurance policy his father left for him. Manu renews his focus on politics and gets a tattoo to remind him of Ari. Natua uses the life insurance policy to help Manu’s legislation. A year later, Natua reopens the pension in Ari’s memory.