Rin-senpai...
Even though it was only a short period of one year, thank you for everything!
Why are you making such a big deal of this?
We're just changing dorm rooms, since it's a new school year.
Yes, but...
Make sure you keep this place clean, even without me here.
Later.
Oh, also...
Yes?
Be sure to take care of this guy, too.
Heya!
Nitori-senpai, Nitori-senpai!
Can I have the top bunk?
S-Sure, I guess...
All right!
Yahoo!
I'm glad he joined the swim team, but...
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
I honestly don't know how well I'll get along with this first-year.
Rin...
You always preferred the bottom bunk, right?
Oh, yeah, you prefer the bottom too, don't you?
Rock, paper—
Huh?
Iwatobi Festival Iwatobi High School Festival
Day 1 Sports Fair Day 2 Culture Fair
Iwatobi Festival?
Yeah, Gou sent that over.
It's today, isn't it? You're not going?
Like I have time for that.
You should go and see her once in a while.
She sounded lonely, talking about how cold you are.
Did you say something about Gou-san?!
Huh?
Meet up at the pool right now!
Can't breathe...
Iwatobi High School Festival
So, this Iwatobi Festival will be our
very last chance to obtain new members!
If we can win this club-versus-club relay race,
it'll draw more attention to our swim club for sure!
Let us grasp victory
along with new members covered in fabulous muscles!
Yeah!
The time has come at last
for Iwatobi High's famed Club-Versus-Club Relay Race!
The Butterfly of Farewell!
This year's competitors are the Tennis Club, the Basketball Club, the Rugby Club,
the Kendo Club, the Judo Club, and the Swim Club!
Which club will emerge victorious?!
Get ready to start!
On your marks...
Get set...
The wind is also alive.
Once you dash forward, it will immediately bare its fangs and attack.
But there's nothing to fear.
Don't resist the wind.
Thrust your fingers forward and carve an opening.
Then you slide your body through that opening.
Moving your arms, your head, your chest...
Such perfect form, but...
In last place is the Swim Club! Hang in there, Swim Club!
He's slow.
He's falling further and further behind!
Could it be that Nanase-senpai's actually pretty slow on land?
Haru!
Makoto!
Oh ho! What a smooth baton pass!
Like two bodies in perfect harmony!
The Swim Club is quickly catching up to the leaders!
Currently leading is the Basketball Club!
That's amazing! We're in third!
In second, the Rugby Club! In third, the Swim Club!
That's Makoto-senpai's power sprinting!
Mako-chan!
We're coming up on the next baton pass!
Nagisa!
Oh! The Swim Club's kickboard is airbor—
He caught it!
But again, the Swim Club has fallen to last place!
He's running hard to catch up! He's fast!
We were so close!
If only they hadn't dropped the kickboard.
The Basketball Club and Rugby Club continue to dig in harder!
It's not over yet.
Huh?
Wind speed, 1.5 meters per second.
Nagisa-kun's height, 165 centimeters.
Assuming a speed of 23 kilometers per hour
and a roughly V-shaped kickboard, the optimal arm angle
for him to receive it with minimal wind resistance is...
Rei-chan!
Whoa! That baton pass looked almost professional!
I thought the Track Club wasn't in today's race...
Who was that?
It's the Swim Club!
Go!
Rei!
Will it be the Basketball Club?! The Rugby Club? No...
Victory goes to the Swim Club!
Welcome to
the Swim Club!
Why?!
After all of Rei-chan's hard work!
Well, no matter how much attention we draw by running,
we're a swim club, after all.
We've done all we can at this point.
Now let's just wait patiently.
And anyway, starting today...
The pool is officially open!
Let's shift gears and focus on training for prefecturals.
Everyone be sure to warm up thoroughly.
The water's still pretty cold.
And though there's still some time before
we have to submit our tournament entry...
Aside from our individual events, there's...
The medley relay!
I thought so.
How about you, Haru?
I only...
swim freestyle and relays.
So we're in the relay, then.
For individual events,
we'll each choose our own before the entry date.
As for me, since it's my last year,
I think I'll try entering the freestyle, too.
Oh, really? Then maybe I'll try racing butterfly, too!
Isn't butterfly your weakest stroke?
This is really exciting somehow!
Hey, Rei-chan, why don't you try entering the breaststroke?
Never mind entering.
I still can't swim any stroke but the butterfly!
What? Don't say that!
You're not the same Rei-chan you used to be.
I bet at this point, you could swim any stroke you wanted!
You think so?
That's true.
After all, you study up on swimming every day, Rei-kun.
I guess it would be possible, at least...
But ever since—
But now that you can swim,
I bet your backstroke would be beautiful, Rei.
All right, then!
I shall present a beautiful backstroke, breaststroke,
and freestyle stroke to all of you!
Yay!
Why?!
Don't get discouraged, Rei-kun!
Your form is perfect, Rei-chan!
Why does it have to be this way?!
Don't rush. Take your time getting the hang of it.
Rei...
You don't need to force yourself to swim something different.
As long as you have one swimming style of your own, that's enough, isn't it?
That's what Haruka-senpai said,
but is that really good enough?
Basics 2: Your Lungs Are Major Flotation Devices
I still can't even handle the same training regimen as the others.
If new members join our club,
could I really say with pride that I'm their senior?
I want to try competing in other events, too.
Will I never be able to swim anything but butterfly?
Ryugazaki...
It's been a while.
Sera-senpai!
Your running looked fantastic the other day in
the Club-Versus-Club Relay.
No matter how fast I can run, it doesn't help the swim club.
Hey, Ryugazaki...
Don't you feel any desire to come back to the track team?
To me, at least, you seem to shine more when you're on the track.
How is it when you're in the water?
Th-That's...
Learn to Swim Completely Master the Four Strokes of Swimming
If you're ever interested in coming back to the track team, you're always welcome.
I'll be waiting for you.
See you later.
Haruka-senpai?
Is something wrong?
Can I ask you something?
Sousuke-kun's already been scouted by a university.
So he decided to spend his last year of high school
back home, swimming his own way.
That's why he's at Samezuka.
Don't get in Rin's way ever again.
Did something happen with Sousuke-kun?
No.
If you'd just set some record times in tournaments,
you'd have lots of scouts after you, too, Haruka-senpai!
I swim because I want to.
That's all.
Ah, so nice and warm!
The pool is still a little cold, isn't it?
Haruka-senpai swims because he wants to.
So what about me?
So then Haru-chan's eyes flew wide open!
Hey, Rei-chan, let's all drop by Haru-chan's place after this.
I'm sorry.
I've got an errand to run today, so I'll just go on ahead.
Rei-chan?
As with any great work, the story ties to the actual events and circumstances
surrounding the author at that time.
Ryugazaki-kun...
Yes!
Ryugazaki-kun, do you need to go to the bathroom?
Huh?
Oh! N-No, sir.
I can't believe I did something so humiliating!
But I could swear I heard someone call my name.
Uh, more importantly...
After swim club today...
Sorry. I have something to do again today.
Aw, again?
A yummy new ice cream shop opened up by the station...
Sorry, I have plans today.
Can I drop by your place after school today?
Sorry. Today's not a good day, either.
Rei-chan! Let's go and—
Sorry! This is an errand I really can't skip!
Thus, among the many different meanings hidden in this passage...
Something is definitely wrong with Rei-chan!
What's the problem?
He's still diligent about coming to practice.
Yeah, but yesterday was Sunday,
so I went to Rei-chan's house again,
but then...
Rei-chan wasn't there. His mom answered the door instead.
He usually stays at home to study on Sundays...
I saw Rei-kun on Sunday.
Really?!
Yeah. Hana-chan and I were shopping
for ingredients to make sweets, and...
He looked like he didn't want anybody to bother him.
Sounds like he's sick.
What?!
Lovesick, that is!
Lovesick?
Rei must've gotten himself a girlfriend!
Rei-kun has a girlfriend?
There are two kinds of men!
Those strengthened by love, and those weakened by it.
Were you imitating Miss Ama-chan?
But Rei-kun's definitely the type that'd be weakened by love.
What do we do? This is bad.
It is?
Hm...
What if he gets so crazy
about his girlfriend that he neglects the club?
What?!
Don't worry.
Just leave this to me!
Relationship Recommendations
Love and Romance
Muscle Magic Spells
Love Confession Situations
What are all these?
Rei-kun...
If there's anything on your mind, please talk to me!
You don't have to stress over it on your own.
Gou-san...
What is this about?
Me, in love?!
What gives you that idea?!
So you're not?
Certainly not!
As if I would ever be taken in by something as illogical as love!
Then why were you shopping for cake?
I-I just feel like eating cake once in a while!
Then where do you keep disappearing to every day?
Just some minor business.
What business?
Just some minor business, meaning insignificant,
which is to say it isn't beautiful at all,
to the degree that I hesitate to utter its nature here!
A-Anyway, I have minor business to attend to today, as well!
Excuse me!
Definitely...
...weird.
Too sweet...
Sorry to bother you, Rin-senpai!
Could you take a look at my personal training regimen for tomorrow?
Cleavage...
Hey!
S-Sorry!
What the heck?
I-Is that what they call a homemade cookie?!
Wanna try one?
Can I?!
Yahoo!
Yum!
Just one more...
I said you could try one!
Stingy!
Hm?
Ryugazaki...
Senpai...
About what I mentioned before...
That guy...
What fabulous forearm muscles!
I mean...
Could this be...
I saw it.
What happened?
Gou-chan?
Well... No, it couldn't be!
I can't believe he's the one Rei-kun's in love with!
A guy?!
No, he was probably just talking with an upperclassman he knew.
I wonder if that guy was...
That's him! The guy with the forearms!
I'm pretty sure that's the captain of the track team.
Could Rei be planning to...
Maybe running in the club relay reminded him of his track days.
You think he wants to go back?!
You mean he's going to quit the swim club?!
No! No! I couldn't stand it if he did!
I know.
Huh?
I absolutely won't allow him to do that.
Sorry I'm late...
What's the matter?
Nothing!
But, Rei, do you have minor business to attend to again?
I do.
In that case,
practice is canceled so we can
hold an emergency meeting at Haru's house!
Yeah!
Hip, hip, hurray!
Um...
So what's the emergency?
What? Um, well...
What was it again?
Don't pass it off on me.
W-We're, well... going to taste-test a new mackerel recipe!
That's not an emergency at all.
You're the one who called this meeting.
Gou-chan, don't you have any other...
Yeah, but...
If there's no emergency, I do have an errand to run, so...
H-Hey, wai—
Nagisa-kun?
Don't quit the swim club!
Huh?!
You can't hide it from us.
You plan to go back to the track team, don't you?
I don't want that!
Nagisa-kun...
He's right, Rei.
We're a team. I won't let you just leave like this.
As the team manager, I can't agree with it, either.
Rei, it was because of what you said
that both Rin and I were saved.
Don't say you're quitting.
Weren't you the one
who said the four of us were going to swim together at nationals?
Haruka-senpai...
He's right!
We all promised, didn't we?
That the four of us would swim the relay together.
You said you'd show us your beautiful butterfly stroke at nationals!
Wait a second.
What are you all talking about?
I'm not quitting the swim club.
But you were talking with the captain of the track team.
You saw us?
He did ask me to come back, but that was all that happened.
And...
There's no way I would ever quit the swim club!
Thank goodness.
And now that we've resolved that misunderstanding,
I have an errand to run, so I'll be going...
At this point...
...there's no choice but to...
...follow him!
This is...
Samezuka Academy?
That's right. Good.
Stay balanced over your hips.
Time your strokes to your breaths.
Aside from that, just do it exactly like I showed you.
Let's go!
Okay!
You did it!
Did I really?
Yeah.
All right! Next up, the breaststroke!
Okay!
But seriously, I'm impressed your swimming has come this far.
Honestly,
I thought you would've given up long before now.
I'd always thought
just swimming one style, like Haruka-senpai, would be enough.
The way I look floundering in the water is not beautiful.
If it meant having to look that way all the time,
I thought I'd rather not swim at all.
But...
Despite that, I...
I didn't want to give up!
I'm sorry for making you join me every day.
It's after our team's practice, so I don't mind. Plus...
I really owe you.
Huh?
Nothing!
Okay, let's do this!
You want to surprise all of them, right?
Right!
Rei-chan was planning to surprise us with this.
Yeah...
Oh! Look! See? Rei-chan's swimming breaststroke!
Whoa!
He really is!
He did the turn, too!
A real breaststroke turn!
He's swimming toward us!
Yeah!
You're working hard every day, yourself.
Shut up.
Even if we're on different teams, he's a friend.
And when I saw how serious he was about learning to swim,
I seriously wanted to help him get there, too.
For your friend, huh?
Anyway, today was the last time.
It looks like he's got the hang of it now, so he'll be fine.
He really
has worked hard.
I'm glad for you, Rin.
Huh? Is that...
One of Gou-san's homemade cookies!
I begged Rin-senpai and got another one!
What? You're wrong about that.
That was made by Ryugazaki-san.
Huh?!
He wanted to get Rin-senpai a cake to thank him for the lessons,
but out of consideration for his physical fitness,
he decided to make cookies containing
nutrients that Rin-senpai was lacking.
Thank you for waiting!
At long last, the time has come for me to reveal my magnificent new form!
Please try not to be too surprised.
And away we go!
Rei is swimming freestyle.
That's amazing, Rei-chan!
You've learned how to swim all the strokes!
This isn't good enough, guys.
We need to look more surprised!
Whoa! How can this be?!
When did he learn how to swim like that?!
What's going on here?
You guys are hopeless.
Maybe we should just tell the truth.
No, we definitely can't.
What did you think, everyone?
About my swimming?
Honestly, you can't help but be amazed, can you?
Rei...
You've really worked hard, haven't you?
Yes!
I want to try one of Rei-chan's cookies, too!
Certainly!
For you, Nagisa-kun, what do you think of a special vitamin cookie
that contains 30 lemons' worth of vitamin C?
Huh? A sour cookie?
Nagisa, 30 lemons' worth of vitamin C would be equivalent
to what you'd get from 50 mackerels!
Yay!
I would never make such a putrid cookie!
The Somersault Turn of Promise!
Next episode: The Somersault Turn of Promise!
What on earth happened between Rin-san and Yamazaki-san in the past?