S2E01 Storm of Dive and Dash!/Plot

As the spring season arrives, Haruka Nanase and his friends Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki and Rei Ryugazaki are invited by Rin Matsuoka to the Samezuka Academy to witness the departure of the school's third-year students. During the racing festivities, Seijuro Mikoshiba invites the Iwatobi High School Swim Club to a friendly freestyle relay, which Samezuka wins narrowly. While Nagisa and Rei feel frustrated, Makoto and Haruka agree that it was fun, and they continue to watch the Samezuka team. Mikoshiba debriefs his team, warning them of a "fearsome new face" entering the club in April. He officially appoints Rin the next captain, who looks disheartened by this news, murmuring a quiet, and obviously troubled, "yes, Sir...".

The Iwatobi Swim Club struggles to recruit new members due to the cold weather of the season while the Samezuka Swimming Club has plenty of people trying out. Iwatobi's swim club teacher, Miho Amakata, suggests that they use Goro Sasabe's newly reopened ITSC RETURNS to practice.

At the following public swimming tournament, Rin and Haruka swim in adjacent lanes. With a grin, Rin tells him that he will make Haruka's cold face hot, despite the latter not showing interest. They race furiously and finish with the exact same timing, much to the surprise of the spectators. Rin raises his hand for a high five and Haruka eventually complies with Rin remarking that Haruka seems all fired up now, as he had predicted. Haruka simply looks away.

While the teams leave, Haruka momentarily breaks from his teammates to catch up to Rin, who tells his own team to go on ahead. Haru invites him to Iwatobi High later that evening, without telling him the reason.

When Rin arrives, they 'kidnap' him by covering his face with an Iwatobi-chan head and bring him elsewhere. Although Rin struggles, he is greeted with the sight of the swimming pool full of cherry blossoms. Haruka tells him that he remembers that in grade school, Rin had mentioned wanting to swim in a pool like this. Rin is moved to tears at this comment and he hurriedly turns away, earning a laugh from his sister. Before the team can push Rin into the pool, it starts raining, leaving everyone to scramble for cover in the cold weather.

Rin questions Haruka and Makoto about their futures, while affirming that he is aiming to swim at the global level, with this year's national being his last chance to qualify. Makoto admits that he doesn't know just yet while Haruka says nothing. Rin looks away in displeasure, clicking his tongue against his teeth in annoyance.

The next day, a new transfer student at Samezuka Academy, Sosuke Yamazaki, is introduced. He unintentionally sees Rin, who is sitting near the back, and locks eyes with him. Rin knows Sosuke from when they were children, hence his shocked frown, but Sosuke only smirks.