Over summer Moon had changed.
Gladion and Hau couldn't pinpoint what happened exactly, but Moon was definitely different. It was the first day of junior year when the girl was walking towards them at lunch and a confident air exuded her very being.
It was strange.
Because the girl they've known for years. The very same sassy, cheerful, know-it all, now had a gravitational pull that was drawing in everyone's attention.
Especially the boys'.
"Do you think Moon's doing everyone's homework," Hau asks one day during their after school tutoring. The mystery that was still fresh in Hau's mind, and pushed far back in Gladion's, was definitely not what the blonde wanted to focus on. But when it came to Hau, you couldn't ignore and leave him in silence for too long or else he would-
"Gladion."
"Gladion."
"Gladion."
"Gladion."
"WHAT?" he says through gritted teeth, his pencil slamming down as he glares at the boy he begrudgingly called his best friend. Hau, unphased by the outburst, leans in closer and re-asks:
"DO. YOU. THINK. MOON'S. DOING. EVERYONE'S. HOMEWORK?"
Gladion pushes the boy's face away as Hau plops back into his seat, but the curious gaze remained. Gladion rolls his eyes as his picks up his pencil again. "Honestly, no. Moon might be the smartest kid in class, but she would rather die than to be interacting with strangers."
It was a well-known fact that before you got to know Moon, she was as timid as timid could be. Small shy smiles, glances that wouldn't last more than a few seconds, and a withdrawn voice that you had to pull out of her.
Well, at least that's who she was.
Gladion shakes his head, bringing his focus back down to his notes. He didn't have time to focus on Moon's new presence, unlike Hau who leaned into his chair.
"I'm going to get to the bottom of this."
"So we know Moon is insanely smart."
Hau's persistence was one to marvel at, even if it was annoying for all participants in his vicinity. "Are you still going on about this?" Gladion asks in disbelief as the Alolan boy just gives him a cheeky smile.
"What? We have about 5 minutes until we walk past Moon's house. Maybe I can solve the mystery by then," Hau excitedly claims as he sticks out his hand.
"One, we know Moon is smart, correct?"
Gladion nods, accepting his fate to entertain the boy's antics. What did he do in a past life to receive this punishment? He would never know, but what was the point of fighting something that was meant to happen. "I guess you could say that she's funny," Gladion murmurs noting Hau's face light up, his second finger coming up at his addition.
"Three, Moon's incredibly sweet and helpful. She volunteers because she enjoys it. Like who does that?"
Gladion chuckles, knowing that in the high school realm Moon was basically a martyr, although he wasn't sure her sharp tongue would continue to classify her as such.
"You might as well make number 4 her ability to say the right thing. Whether it's comforting or a clapback, girl is always ready."
Hau laughs as he lifts up a fourth finger. They had about a minute to decide what number 5 would be as they came to a stop right in front of her house. A low hum escapes the two boys as their minds go through Moon's quirks and traits when they hear the door open. A cheerful "bye mom" could be heard as the girl in question comes out and approaches the two boys with a beaming smile.
Her dimples were showing, the sun kissed glow on her skin radiated, and Gladion found himself quickly whispering:
"Pretty."
His own voice shocks him as he looks at Hau in complete horror. His fifth finger now up and confirming that he very much said that out-loud.
That Hau agreed wholeheartedly.
And that this was something you're not supposed to think about your best friend. EVER.
Hau quickly puts his hand behind his back as Moon takes her final steps towards them. The look of shock and revelation still present on their faces as Hau quickly squeaks, "hEyyy you!"
Her smile drops immediately and her brow furrows as she looks at them scrutinizingly. "You two look like you realized some shit," she states matter-of-factly, but all they do is chuckle nervously and exchange gazes that shout 'we speak of this to nobody.' So they said nothing in response allowing Moon to just shrugs off her friend's weird behavior as she begins walking.
"If something's wrong you could tell me you know?"
But no, they would not be telling her. This was a fluke, a mere observation, a study of what others were thinking of her.
Not them.
At least that's what they thought...until both of them gathered after school with a shameful and guilty appearance to them.
"I think I like Moon."