HS2C04: Start

'Synopsis: "The heart of swimming is in the little things" ~ motto of the Iwatobi Junior High School Swim Club.

Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana meet with Asahi Shiina at the school's swim club. Nao Serizawa, they discover, is not only their trainer, but their manager, as well. It appears to Haruka that although he hasn't seen Nao swim, he thinks he must be fast because of the way he carries himself. Nao acts and speaks gently, but with authority, moving like a cat, ready to spring into action.

Nao teaches them the club's motto, explaining that when you pay attention to the details, the big picture becomes clearer. This is why he shows them where they store equipment and tells them they can use whatever they want as long as they store it when they're done. They then head to the small, but newly cleaned, pool where Asahi is chosen to be the group's leader since he applied to the club first. Asahi is delighted.

On the third day of practice, Nao has them practicing starts, beginning with the track start: one foot forward, one foot back in a crouched position. His instructions are simple, but clear. Still, they're all stiff so Nao tells them to pay attention to what they're hearing. It's a martial arts technique, but none of them understand what he calls "relaxing and concentrating." That's when he brings out a bottle cap and they practice karuta grabbing. Every time Nao places the plastic bottle cap between himself and one of the team, he's the one to snatch the cap almost immediately after hearing Makoto blow the whistle. Seeing how fast Nao is, Haruka is now certain that Nao must be a fast swimmer, too.

On the last day of Golden Week, the Iwatobi Swimming Club attends the tournament held at the Hiyori Swimming Stadium. Haruka and Makoto are present to cheer for Nagisa Hazuki, who looks quite small compared to the other swimmers. When the time for his race arrives, his start is off and he misses the cut. Another race is preparing to start which is when Makoto notices Sosuke Yamazaki among the competitors from the Sano Junior High School Swim Club.

As Haruka and Makoto watch the races, they become conscious of Nao's training. They're surprised when they realize that their reflexes have vastly improved. An unknown boy approaches, asking for Nanase. When Haruka reveals himself, the boy says, "I'm Sakuyuki Narukawa from Bandou SC." That was Asahi's former team. Before he leaves them, Narukawa asks if Asahi has learned to swim yet, confusing Haruka and Makoto.

After the tournament, Haruka and Makoto find Nagisa, who is despondent over his lackluster performance. He even wonders if he should quit swimming. Surprisingly, it's Haruka who tells Nagisa to practice more, going against his own self-proclaimed belief of non-practice. Suddenly, they’re interrupted by four younger swimmers from the Iwatobi Swimming Club: Kai, Kakeru, Riku and Wataru. They wear shiny silver medals having come in second place in the medley relay. They encourage Nagisa to keep swimming, telling him to develop an even swimming style so your teammates are put at ease. Nagisa cheers up and leaves, buoyed by the interaction with companions.

As Haruka and Makoto begin to head home, they're confronted by Sosuke. Without so much as an introduction, the tall lanky boy asks Haruka why he didn't compete, challenge in his eyes. Makoto explains, much to Haruka's relief. Still, Sosuke stays focused on Haruka. Sosuke disparages Nao as a trainer and Haruka snaps, defending Nao. The confrontation is heating up.

Sosuke demands to know if Haruka is considering how Rin Matsuoka might feel about Haruka's choices. Haruka replies that he doesn't swim for Rin, but only for himself. Makoto intervenes to calm things down despite appearing to be flustered, himself. When they tell Sosuke that they plan to swim with the ISC in the fall, Sosuke warns them not to be half-hearted about it.

Sosuke ponders why he became so angry, then realizes that he was blowing off steam caused by his losses to Rin in the past. Haruka and Rin have overlapped in his mind. He recalls a snowy day when both he and Rin are walking home from their swimming club. Rin tells Sosuke about his plan to move to Australia. Sosuke asks if it's to honor Rin's deceased father. Rin denies it, then says maybe. Rin is also certain that no amount of talent can beat hard work. Sosuke is envious of Rin's ability to leave Japan on such vague feelings.

Three days later, Rin tells Sosuke that he's going to live with his Grandma, Kyou Matsuoka, in order to join the Iwatobi Swimming Club and to swim with his former teammates. Again, Sosuke asks if it's about Rin's father. This time, Rin says he wants to be in a swimming club to which his father also belonged and to swim a relay again. Maybe then, he'd "meet" Pops.