HS2C08: Light

Synopsis: The members of the swim team face individual challenges as they continue to grow personally and as swimmers.

As the junior high manager and trainer, Nao Serizawa teaches his pupils how to do a proper dolphin kick. When he asks them to race 50m while using said technique, Asahi Shiina struggles with the request. He and Makoto Tachibana dive in together, but Asahi soon flouders. Ikuya Kirishima and Haruka Nanase are next and despite Ikuya not having participated in the 'karuta grabbing' exercise, he matches Haruka's push off. Then, as Haruka feels Ikuya's presence in the water, a familiar darkness overtakes him. He stops swimming and sees Ikuya standing at the edge of the lane with a fierce look in his eyes. Ikuya blames Haruka for his lack of speed. Nao intervenes before an argument breaks out. When Haruka calls Ikuya by name, Ikuya becomes frightened. He runs away with Satomi Nii and Makoto following. Haruka wonders if there is something inside of himself causing Ikuya's feeling so similar to his own. Ikuya returns and apologizes as Haruka accepts the incident as over. After practice, Makoto goes to a bookstore for review books while Haruka continues home. There, he finds Sosuke Yamazaki waiting with Haruka's house key, unmissed because Haruka never locks his house. He invites Sosuke to eat with him, then explains that he lives alone most of the time because his father works far away and his mother has a part-time job. This is why he goes to Swimming Club early and also how he knows how to prepare meals for himself. Sosuke is impressed. Sosuke admits that he knows that the letter he got from Rin Matsuoka and gave to Haruka was truly meant for Haruka despite it being addressed to himself. Haruka recalls the letter, but is uncertain of its meaning. Sosuke explains how he learned to swim from Rin and how their relationship developed. Haruka thinks Sosuke is self-indulgent. Haruka then teaches Sosuke about "karuta-grabbing," calling it Nao's start. Sosuke is amazed at Haruka's skill at the game and has a newfound admiration for Nao. In return, he tells Haruka how to improve his biaxial. At Swimming Club, Nagisa Hazuki shows up and he and Haruka discuss Rin's influence on Nagisa's training. Makoto waits for Haruka at the end of the swimmer's 2000 meter swim, saying he's glad to see Haruka swimming his "usual style" instead of biaxial. They kid one another about Nao's strict training. When Haruka asks Makoto to race him, a surprised Makoto agrees. Haruka easily out-distances Makoto, but remains unsettled by it. Nagisa joins them and after dropping off Makoto on the way home, the two head to Haruka's house. As Haruka cooks, Nagisa talks about how his arms seem to stretch when he swims breaststroke and other things Haruka thinks unimportant. On a day when classes end early, Ren Tachibana and Ran Tachibana insist that Makoto take them out on the rubber boat their family owns. Makoto insists that Haruka join them to help blow up the boat and watch the twins. Haruka doesn't want to go, but does so. The twins head out into a calm sea, wearing floats in case things go sideways. Makoto mentions that they haven't swum in the sea in a long time. Haruka doesn't remind him that it's because Makoto doesn't swim in the sea. Makoto then compares Haruka to a dolphin, but Haruka has never thought of himself in that way. The twins drop the oars of the boat unexpectedly and begin to cry. Makoto remains frozen on shore while Haruka swims out and brings them onto shore, surprised that Makoto is still afraid of swimming even a short distance in the sea. Makoto apologizes while Haruka says nothing.

After exams at school are done, Haruka walks home with Makoto and Aki Yazaki. When Aki leaves their side, Makoto falls silent, looking sad. He finally confesses that he doesn't understand his fear of the sea and feels spoiled by Haruka's accommodation, adding that he feels like a no-good elder brother. Haruka tells him not to say such things. Haruka goes to Swimming Club alone that day and masters the stroke Sosuke taught him. Upon reaching home, he gets a call from Makoto's mother, who is searching for him. Haruka worries and searches all over for his friend without success. As twilight descends, he sees Makoto at the edge of a darkening beach, standing in the water. When he reaches his side, he notices that his friend has a distant feeling about him. Makoto says he was trying to see if he would be fine without Haruka to help him. Haruka faces his fear of losing Makoto, reassuring his best friend of his importance to him. Makoto becomes himself once more and the two head back home side by side.