What are you doing?
If you don't hurry up, you'll miss Rin-senpai's race...
Yamazaki-senpai, is that...
It's nothing.
Don't worry about it.
Yamazaki-senpai?
Last leg, last leg, last leg, last leg!
Good job!
5th Ryugazaki Rei
That was a personal best for him, too.
But it won't be enough to make it to finals.
Nagisa-kun's time in the breaststroke fell short, too.
I guess the finals barrier is a hard one to overcome.
Men's 100m butterfly, third heat.
Rin-senpai!
Captain!
Ready...
Go!
And swim!
Swim!
Haru...
The Six-Beat Kick of Tears!
Sano Swimming Club 5th
It sucks that we lost, but that was pretty good for our first relay as a team!
So let's use this loss as motivation to—
Forget it.
Huh?
The relay's not for me.
I don't like losing 'cause someone else messed up,
or having to share a win with everyone else.
That's boring to me.
What was that, jerk?
What did you just say?!
Now, stop that!
You two!
Well, of course he'd get mad if you talk bad about the relay!
Rin's dad used to swim the relay, so it's really important to him.
I know that.
And I wasn't talking bad about his dad or anything.
Then why don't you just swim the relay for him?
Swim for him?
Huh?
I can't do something just for him.
That's not how it is between Rin and me.
Huh. That's true, you guys are rivals, after all.
Rivals?
You're right. That's the best way to put it.
Hey, Rin.
What?
Race me in butterfly.
Don't wanna.
Jeez...
But I'll race you in the 800m freestyle.
So that's the way you want it, huh?
Loser takes the winner's next toilet-cleaning duty at school!
Then I'm definitely winning!
I found some guys I want to swim the relay with!
What's wrong, Sousuke?
Did something happen? Ai's worried about you.
Nothing's wrong.
You were off during our practice in the warm-up pool this morning, too.
It was like you blanked for a second.
I told you, nothing's wrong.
You've been skipping practices, too.
Where have you been going?
Sousuke, don't tell me you're—
I said, nothing's wrong!
Sousuke...
It's on me.
You hurt your shoulder, didn't you?
Let me see.
Don't!
How long has it been like this?
Since this morning.
It's not as bad as it looks.
Don't lie to me!
This didn't just happen this morning.
I really can't lie to you, can I?
You're right. It happened about two years ago.
From overtraining.
But you said you got scouted,
and you had a university to go to...
Sorry.
It was all a lie.
I don't have anywhere to go to.
You're watching the next race, right?
Yeah.
Let's talk somewhere else.
I didn't have a prayer...
Me, either.
Regionals really are something.
But it isn't over yet!
Indeed. We still have the relay!
Hey, you two. Good job out there.
Makoto-senpai!
Huh? Are you alone, Mako-chan?
Where's Haru-chan?
He went off somewhere after Rin's race.
I looked around for him a little, but I didn't find him.
Don't worry.
I'm sure he'll be back in time for the relay.
That's right. After all, Haruka-senpai told us...
Nagisa, Rei.
Makoto.
I'll swim the relay with you.
That's what I've come this far for.
And that goes for us, too!
Let's trust in him and just wait here.
Nagisa... Rei...
Okay.
Don't you have a dream?!
Take this more seriously!
Answer me, Sousuke!
Rin-senpai! Yamazaki-senpai!
Nitori-senpai!
Did you see the individual relay just now?
That was freaking awesome—
Never mind that, Momo-kun!
Have you seen Rin-senpai and Yamazaki-senpai?
Why?
Why did you lie to me and transfer back to Samezuka?
The two of us are rivals.
It's better if we're not on the same team.
That's what I always thought.
That's why, when you transferred to Iwatobi,
I didn't say anything and just watched you go.
I continued swimming hard all throughout middle school.
Since you were fighting hard all on your own in Australia,
I thought I had to work hard to make my dream come true, too.
National Middle School Sports Meet Swimming Tournament
Even when your letters stopped coming after a while,
I never lost faith that you
would break through any wall you faced.
When I got to high school, I intensified my training even further,
so that I could make my own dream come true.
And I was sure that when I finally stood on the international stage,
you would be there, too, Rin.
So I continued my brutal training day after day.
By that time,
there was no one left who could beat me.
That was when it happened.
I started sensing something was wrong with my shoulder.
I ignored it and kept on swimming.
But it made itself known more clearly by the day.
How could I give up over something like this?
I still had a long way to go to get stronger and faster than anyone else.
And then...
At last, my shoulder broke down completely.
It happened in the summer after 10th grade.
Of course it broke down.
It was around then that I heard from Gou.
She said you had come home.
But I didn't want to see you.
You were the one person I couldn't bear to see me broken down like that.
Physical therapy, breakdown, and physical therapy again...
I repeated that pattern every day.
I even had to miss a few tournaments due to my condition.
My teammates started surpassing me.
My impatience grew by the day.
I was miserable.
Then, one day, I realized...
that my dream was never going to come true.
I decided to give up swimming.
Give up... swimming?
But before I did, I went to see you swim one more time.
It was at last year's regionals.
So you saw that race...
Yeah.
Since you had shared the same dream I'd had,
I wanted to watch you swim one last time.
But what I saw was you in pain.
I couldn't imagine how you'd become like that.
I'd always believed you could overcome any obstacle
and keep pushing forward.
So how had you ended up this way?
What had happened?
Forget it! I quit!
I'm done swimming!
I wanted to call out to you, but...
I couldn't.
But then, during that relay with Nanase and the others...
You came to life, and swam like you were a totally different person.
You looked so happy, laughing together with your friends.
In that moment, a new hope was born in my empty heart.
As tiny as it was, it was a new dream.
A dream to swim with you again.
Back then,
I wasn't able to see
how precious it was to be able to swim with friends.
I'm going to give up swimming.
But before I do,
I want to truly become your friend.
Rin, your friend!
Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!
Why did you hide it?!
Why?!
Because I knew
you would cry.
I'm not...
I'm not crying.
You idiot.
Let's go.
The relay's starting soon.
What are you saying?
You can't swim in your condition!
I'll be fine.
If you push yourself, you might never be able to swim again!
Fine by me. That's what I'd intended from the start.
No way! I won't let you do that!
We were finally able to form a team with Nitori and Mikoshiba.
Let me swim.
No.
I promise you,
I'll swim it all the way through.
I want to swim.
I want to swim the relay with all of you.
But...
Let's swim it together!
Rin-senpai!
Yamazaki-senpai!
When did you guys...
Since that day...
Ever since I saw your relay at regionals last year,
I've wanted to swim the relay with you, too, Rin-senpai!
I had Yamazaki-senpai coach me,
and now, this day has finally come...
He's right!
If we all put our strengths together, a huge miracle's bound to happen!
That's what the relay's all about, right?
Then, I want to swim the ultimate relay with the four of us!
Let's swim it together!
Rin-senpai!
Hey, Rin...
Show it to us, too.
A sight we've never seen before.
Haru!
Haruka-senpai!
Sorry I'm late.
We were waiting for you, Haru-chan!
It's about time to get ready.
Let's go.
Yeah.
We will now begin the final round of the men's 400m medley relay.
Yamazaki-san's shoulder...
I wonder what happened to it...
Does he intend to swim in that condition?
Yamazaki...
saw our relay last year.
Huh?
After watching us, Yamazaki found his dream.
And he learned what it means to swim with friends.
He also gained a strong desire to swim
the best possible relay on the best possible team.
Even if it meant wrecking his shoulder.
So I want us to respond to his wish with all we've got.
Okay!
Right!
If you let your guard down, you're in for some pain.
Be careful not to let that confidence end up jinxing you!
I'll show you my killer dolphin kick!
Sadly, I don't think you'll have time to show that off.
I'm in no mood to lose.
What a coincidence.
I'm in no mood to do anything but win.
This is our team.
Our ultimate team.
Right. I'd say the same of our team.
Ready...
Swim!
Momo's dolphin kick is so fast!
He's already pulled ahead of Iwatobi!
No...
Makoto-senpai's true speed lies in his stroke!
In terms of stroke speed, Makoto-senpai tops him!
But he's already catching up with that second dolphin kick!
Momo!
Makoto!
Senpai!
Who'll touch first?
It's almost simultaneous!
Nagisa!
Nagisa-kun did a perfect exchange!
Their exchange practice is paying off!
Amazing! They pulled ahead in a heartbeat!
Nagisa!
Ai!
Nitori-senpai!
Swim!
Huh?
Sousuke-kun...
They're even!
Rei-chan!
Yamazaki-senpai!
What do you think you're doing?!
What is it you guys need to be doing right now?
You need to cheer on your teammates as loudly as possible!
Right!
And swim!
Swim!
Sousuke-kun's caught up to Rei-kun!
He's widening his lead!
Yamazaki-senpai!
Sousuke!
Go!
Last leg!
Rin!
They both keep moving faster...
Neither one is willing to give in!
They hit the turn at the same time!
Haru!
Haru-chan!
Haruka-senpai!
Rin-senpai!
Rin!
2nd Samezuka
1st Iwatobi
We won!
They did it! They're going to nationals!
Haru!
We did it!
We're really going to nationals!
It's like a dream!
You guys... You did great.
That was the best!
Hey!
Jeez, Momo-kun...
Thank you.
Yamazaki-senpai, that really doesn't suit you!
Rin...
I was finally able to find it.
Took you long enough!
Unchanging sky.
Unchanging ocean.
Unchanging nothing...
Even if they don't look different, both the sea and the sky do change.
And so do we.
The Open Turn of Destiny!
Next episode: The Open Turn of Destiny!
Haru?
Listen...