At the library, Miaro, Tsiaro, Kanto, and Tojo meet following their participation in "Intellect XJ.". The first round of the competition is a general knowledge quiz. It's vague, yes, but the real trick is to gather as much information as possible. Miaro is convinced that by dividing the subjects into five parts—giving the easier ones to understand and memorize to the boys, and the more challenging ones to the girls—they can make it work. With five minds working together, they have a numbers advantage for this first stage. It's still very doable for them. But the problem is—they're currently only four, not five.
Honestly, for Miaro, it doesn't change much. But Haintso's absence is ruining the team's morale.
And finally, Kanto, who's fed up, speaks out:
— "You know Miaro, I respect you a lot and I understand your relationship with Haintso, but I don't find him reliable. Look—he's not even here to help us. Imagine if he doesn't show up during the test. That would get us disqualified."
Then Tojo chimes in:
— "I agree with her. It's unfair. Doesn't he feel any shame leaving you to handle all the work like this?"
Miaro sighs, then replies:
— "My dear friends, I assure you, he's not doing this on purpose. He must be busy somewhere. Besides, you know, I'm the one who dragged us into this. Even if you all disappeared, I'd still have to take responsibility."
Tsiaro is touched by Miaro's words. She reassures her:
— "Miaro, I admit I probably can't trust your... Haintso. But you're my friend, and I won't let you go through this alone."
— "Oh... I know. That's why I love you."
Miaro replies with a smile.
But deep down, she's still not reassured. She scans the library, hoping Haintso would finally walk through the door.
And luckily for her, the author of this book—me, that is—hears her prayers.
Haintso looks left and right, trying to spot where his friends are. He seems troubled. He's drenched in sweat as if he had just run a marathon—but it's only the summer heat of a tropical island. His eyes are half-closed, like a sleepwalker's. He looks completely exhausted. Then, spotting Miaro and the others, he approaches as quickly and quietly as a ninja.
He apologizes:
— "I'm really sorry, guys. I had to go make things right with a teacher. What should I do now?"
But Kanto, their class rep, is already teasing him. Since Miaro entered the picture, this has become a common occurrence between them:
— "Why not start by kissing Miaro? I'm sure she could use the motivation to finish both your parts before the deadline next week."
Miaro pleads with her:
— "Please, Kanto..."
Haintso knows she's only teasing, but he wants to be serious. He wants to be someone they can rely on—because he sees the effort and dedication in the group, and he doesn't want to be the one to bring it down.
— "Miaro, what she said is perfectly valid", he says. "It's normal to doubt my integrity, given the reputation I've built in class. And even if I give it everything I have, I know I'm not as good as the rest of you. But still… please let me be part of this. Let me finish my part—not as Miaro's boyfriend, but as your teammate."
Everyone feels the sincerity in his tired eyes. Haintso is an old soul—a warrior. You just need to look at him to see it. His eyes are weary, his face miserable, but the aura he carries still radiates the will to fight, no matter who the opponent is. So Kanto, Tsiaro, and Tojo say nothing more. They give him the chance to prove himself. And that's exactly what he does.
He filters through books related to his field. Haintso has a knack for books. With just a glance, he can tell which ones are easy to understand and which are comprehensive. He starts with the introduction of each book before diving into the details. He writes down the terms and principles he doesn't understand. First, he tries to find the answers on his own, but if it's too difficult, he asks his classmates.
His primary role is to classify what he understands and what he doesn't. As long as he directs his studies toward what he doesn't understand and finds connections with what he already does, he makes great progress toward mastering the subject.
Now Kanto and Tsiaro understand who Haintso really is. They're surprised, in turn, by his method. He's fast. If he had been working like this from the beginning — and kept it up until the end — he could be an undeniable asset to the team. But they also realize that maybe it's because he doesn't have enough time that he's pushing himself so hard...
"Since when is Haintso this serious about school?" Kanto wondered. "Has he always been like this? And why… why did I never notice?" She glanced at Miaro, sitting beside her with that shy, almost goofy smile, pretending to be lost in her book. But let's be honest — was she really reading, or just hiding? Her thoughts were elsewhere. They were with him. Kanto could see it — clear as day — in her eyes.
And suddenly, it hit her. She'd been looking at people the wrong way all along. Always judging by the surface, slotting them neatly into boxes that felt comfortable. But she'd been blind to the quiet truths, the subtle shifts, the real essence of people like Miaro…
And Haintso.
It's time for them to head home. So Kanto gets up, pulling Tsiaro and Tojo along with her, since they live in the same neighborhood. No one realizes the real reason — to leave Miaro and Haintso alone.
And so, now, it's just the two of them.
Miaro, who has already finished her part, keeps an eye on Haintso. Or rather… she admires him, with quiet passion. Her gaze pours over every inch of him. A bead of sweat slowly rolls down his temple, falling silently onto the page where his hand, tense around his pen, draws precise formulas. His brow is slightly furrowed, his breath barely audible — yet everything about him radiates unwavering determination.
Of course, she's still not fully aware of what she's doing. She thinks she's just trying to learn more about him — but what she's actually doing is admiring what she sees.
Despite being focused on his work, Haintso is still aware of the world around him. So he notices Miaro's gaze. He realizes what she's doing. And it's a little awkward… maybe even a bit unsettling. So he nudges her with a question:
— "Isn't your driver waiting for you? Don't you have to go?"
Miaro, still dreamy, replies:
— "Yes, he… no, no, I…"
She laughs.
It's an embarrassed little laugh, just before she continues, still marveling at this man who's only "almost" hers:
— "How do you manage to stay so focused, lost in your thoughts, and yet… so present and real at the same time?"
But Haintso replies playfully:
— "Focused? I'm just pretending to impress you."
(Just kidding around.)
Miaro chuckles quietly — her voice mustn't rise in the library:
— "If I get kicked out, I'm dragging you with me."
And they go on teasing each other like that —a little bubble of shared complicity tucked in the corner of the library. The other students still present watch them. They see a couple in love.
But once again, for her, the rest of the world doesn't exist. She smiles. She laughs. She teases. She folds into herself from the shyness and embarrassment caused by Haintso's whispered words.
She's herself.
For the first time — truly Miaro — in this school.
It's noon in front of the school's main gate. Haintso is resting, his back against the wall, eyes searching for refuge in the blue sky. He sees different shapes drifting across the panorama above him. It's already been a while, and Miaro is starting to get impatient, glancing left and right. He watches her from behind. He's also watching her behind in the meantime.
Is he admiring her?... I mean her, not her behind…
Or maybe he is, after all…
But let's move on.
Is he wondering about things? In any case, he questions her:
— "Shouldn't you check if he sent a message or something like that? You didn't check your phone at all earlier."
Miaro finally realizes it. She timidly searches for her phone inside her backpack. She grabs it awkwardly, embarrassed by her own carelessness.
— "You're right (she looks at her phone)… He's going to be late then."
Haintso keeps his eyes fixed on the sky while reassuring her casually:
— "I'll keep you company until he shows up."
But Miaro can't help teasing him:
— "...Heh, so we're playing Romeo now?"
— "I see you're more comfortable alone then… he says, walking away."
— "Wait… I live in Antsahabe. I know it's quite far, but I've always dreamed of walking that path home."
— "Are you asking me to walk you there?"
— "Wow, how do you read my thoughts like that?" Miaro adds sarcastically.
Haintso remains unfazed. He plays dumb.
— "That one wasn't hard at all."
Miaro laughs. Miaro looks at him. She smiles. Her big eyes have overtaken the rest of her beautiful face. Haintso smiles back at her, as warmly as he can. She responds, excited:
— "I'll call my driver right now and tell him not to come."
And she did.
There are certain thoughts among Malagasy people that go like this: Madagascar is Antananarivo. Antananarivo is the Paris of Madagascar. Antananarivo smells of civilization, culture, technical and technological advancement, trends — the leading city of Madagascar in every way. However, this idea is false, if I may say so. There's nothing worse than the Antananarivians. Careful, I'm not talking about the Merina ethnicity, but the actual residents of Antananarivo. They are the ones who give Antananarivo its title of the dirtiest city in the world.
Sorry, but it's the truth.
That said, Antananarivo is also a beautiful city — if you know how to appreciate it, as Haintso and Miaro do. Especially when it comes to infrastructure, roads, and scenery. As long as you really look at it, it's a stunning city.
And I'll start from Mahamasina, going uphill towards Amparibe. From there, you can either go down to Antaninarenina or Ambohijatovo, or keep climbing up to the upscale neighborhood of Andohalo.
Haintso and Miaro choose to go downhill.
The sidewalks are paved with neat concrete bricks. The main road is asphalted.
There are shops, chic markets, and banks all around. They borrow design elements from both traditional gasigasy style and contemporary trends — more commercial versions of Miaro's house. The entire city feels immersive, mixing modern architecture and traditional style. The tallest buildings rarely exceed fifteen meters, maybe twenty at most. Which leaves you with incredible panoramic views as a reward every time you climb a hill. Because Antananarivo is a chain of hills and plains.
So as Haintso and Miaro cross through the center of Amparibe, their eyes are fixed on the wide view of the city stretching out across the great plain, reaching all the way to Itaosy in the distance. Upon arriving at Antaninarenina, you can see the small houses beautifully stacked along the slopes of Ambohijatovo and Ambondrona.
There, you'd find all kinds of colors, perfectly balanced. But under the summer heat, white, blue, and green dominate the rest. In color theory, this is what we call an analogous harmony. Analogous color arrangements are made by combining different shades or tones of the same color — or of closely related hues on the color wheel. In this case: yellow-white, light green, and sky blue.
It's a soft palette.
Miaro seems amazed by the scene before her. She's hot — the temperature is thirty-five degrees. Sweat traces a line down her face and to her neck. But she doesn't seem to be suffering. In fact, she looks like she's enjoying herself — even as she watches the same passersby as them, struggling under the same heat. She's holding a cola juice in one hand, and a taco in the other.
Haintso watches her.
Does he contemplate her? … I'm not sure, I'd say he's reading her. But it's very hard to tell—hard to read it on his face or in his eyes. Then, he eats his share of tacos, smiling timidly, his head tucked between his narrow shoulders.
In front of her house, Miaro finally says:
— "I walk this same route every day, and sometimes I have dinner or brunch in one of these places… but I've never seen this city the way I do today."
— "That's exactly how I felt the day we went around Ampefiloha Ambodirano."
— "Really…?"
— "… hmmm hmmm." (He nods slowly up and down.)
— "How do you think… it's possible that we only notice these wonders just now… I…? (She looks at him. For a moment, he seems far away.) … Are you sure you don't want to come in?"
Haintso smiles. He even laughs. Then walks away quietly. Saying, just to tease Miaro:
— "Look at me. I'm definitely not the kind of son-in-law your mother would want for her daughter, am I?"
— "No, but… Eh?"
But Haintso keeps walking. One step after another, his calm gait doesn't match the speed of his legs. In just a few seconds, he's already far away.
At least this time, Miaro watches him until he disappears completely. And him—he's still smiling at her, right until he vanishes, just to reassure her.
Miaro is finally home. More specifically, in the kitchen. She's dressed more casually now: in shorts and a t-shirt. Her servant serves her dinner, still hot. She savors each bite of the delicious meal, all the while thinking about her beautiful day. Her body sways from side to side like a child.Then, her servant informs her that her mother has left her a gift. She asks Miaro if she can bring it to her. But her words make Miaro question what Haintso had said about her mother:"Look at me. I'm probably not the kind of son-in-law your mother would want for her daughter, am I?"
She, surprised, replied: "Why not?" Not to the servant, who went to fetch her gift, but to Haintso, who had asked her that question.She remembers his smile, and she doesn't doubt his complicity, but she also saw his gaze… that damn gaze she still can't fathom the depth of."What if it wasn't a joke?" "And even if it was?... Why does my heart tighten?" she asks herself, her right hand already lightly resting beneath the modest curve of her left breast.She felt it.She could feel her heart racing.And the worst part might be that this feeling, this astonishment deep within her being, has been very familiar for a while, but only now is she clearly aware of it. Her whole body trembles with excitement for no reason. Her heart seems to alternate between speeding up and halting, yet strangely, it makes her even happier. She's finally aware that she's in love with Haintso. It's no longer a time to ignore her feelings. It's clear in her mind and in her heart that she loves him. Exactly as predicted. Haha… isn't it? XD? I can already see your faces with: "We know how it goes, the author is going to drag the suspense, and Haintso's fall will still be… what, a whole volume?"... Who knows...I'll leave you with a clue: "I too was a reader, and I hate ridiculous suspense just to stretch out the series."