HS1C02: Water

'''Synopsis: Haruka meets Aki Yazaki on a bridge as he makes his way to Iwatobi Swimming Club and learns that the wind has blown her scarf into the river below. At the club, Rin makes himself known as Haruka's rival to a curious Nagisa, then races Haruka without warning. The result is one very annoyed Haruka Nanase.'''

The Misagozaki Shrine at the top of the hill in Haruka Nanase's neighborhood is beautiful, its history and purpose as a protective element over the fishing village explained. Haruka's house sits half-way up to one side of the long flight of steps leading to the top while Makoto's house sits on the opposite side a little ways way down. Haruka doesn't have to use the steps to reach his house, but it's the quickest way so he leaves his bicycle at the bottom of the steps.

It's winter and a strong wind is blowing. Makoto is nowhere to be seen, so Haruka heads to the Iwatobi Swim Club on his own. After passing through the village, he comes to the Mutsukibashi Bridge spanning the Shiwagawa River, its water churning below. At the center of the bridge, he notices his classmate, Aki Yazaki, paused with her bicycle, staring at the river.

He's tempted to simply move on, chiding himself for wishing Makoto were with him to save him the trouble of getting involved. Then Aki speaks to him, telling him that her scarf is gone. Haruka sees it drifting away in the river, but there's no way to retrieve it, so he tells her so and moves on, only recalling the encounter when Makoto arrives at the club. Makoto doesn't mention Aki, but Haruka wonders if he met the girl on the bridge and if Aki had told his friend about Haruka's cold attitude. He decides it's unimportant and heads to the pool.

.....

Nagisa Hazaki and Rin Matsuoka are also at the club. Haruka notices Rin and moves to a distant short lane, telling Makoto to check his time. Nagisa approaches Rin and asks if he's Haruka's friend. Rin says they're rivals. Nagisa begins chatting away and Rin is irked, wanting nothing more than to race Haruka, especially after Nagisa asks who is the faster swimmer.

Nagisa demonstrates his breast stroke, which Rin thinks looks more like a "grasshopper" stroke. He then entices Nagisa to the short lane where Haruka is swimming an elegant crawl while Makoto keeps time. When Makoto tells him that Haruka is at the 50m mark, Rin dives into the pool and begins stroking as he surfaces.

At first, Rin is ahead but soon after the final turn, he feels a change in Haruka's swimming. It's not like Haruka made a faster turn or is swimming with more strength. No. But there's a feeling of great energy emanating from the dark-haired swimmer. Rin drives forward, eager to win. Touching the wall and lifting his head, he shouts, "Who is it?"

Makoto and Nagisa point to Haruka who is leaving the pool, his breathing normal while Rin struggles to recover. The ginger asks, "So, Nanase's 100, how many seconds?" Haruka takes the stopwatch from Makoto, looks at the time, then hands it back before heading to the locker room. Makoto turns to Rin and says, "It got reset."

Haruka is annoyed with himself. He swims in tournaments all the time, but Rin is the only one who openly challenges him. The idea that there might be someone who feels the water more than he does vexes him and he loses his desire to swim.

In the break room, he looks at the photos on the wall that span years. Seeing one with a smiling boy holding a trophy, he grows even more annoyed at the thought that he might have to look like that one day, too.

Haruka meets Makoto at the bicycle rack. Haruka is in a funk, wishing Makoto didn't speak his mind so freely while aptly expressing Haruka's thoughts. Rin exits the club and heads in the opposite direction. Makoto sees him and offers a ride home, but Rin says it's not far.

As Makoto and Haruka reach the Mutsukibashi Bridge, Rin catches up to them, then passes them. Haruka clicks his tongue in his mind, irritated to see Rin running in perfect form. As he passes Rin with his bicycle, Haruka steps on the pedal a little harder. Makoto calls to Rin, asking how many kilometers it is to Rin's house.

Rin replies, "Three and a b...," but his voice is lost in the wind.