S1E12 Distant Free!/Plot

The episode begins with Haruka Nanase scrawling something into the mud beside a sakura tree. Makoto Tachibana supports his action.

Rin Matsuoka’s 100 metre freestyle race begins, but he has a late start; he is also the last to make the turn. When the race ends, he has to try multiple times to get out of the pool. Seeing this, Haruka runs off, not wanting to watch any longer. The rest of the Iwatobi High School Swim Club follows.

Aiichiro Nitori comforts Rin by assuring him that everyone has bad days, but the closed-off Rin screams for him to shut up. He indulges in self-pity, saying that it's obvious that he is no better than his current state, which is why he was taken off the relay team. He declares that he is done swimming, kicking over a rubbish bin in his fury before stalking off. Nearby, the Iwatobi team bears witness to this outburst and is shocked that Rin is no longer on the relay team. Haruka is reminded of the words Rin said in the past when he lost their match race as a child and sinks to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest.

Rei Ryugazaki then announces his meeting with Rin the previous day. Now, the team knows the real reason behind Rin quitting swimming in the past. Rei continues to say that after seeing Iwatobi’s relay, Rin had wanted to swim in a relay again; however, Rei thinks that Rin really just wants to swim with his friends again, to swim with the best team. Haruka stands and asks how Rei knows this, to which the latter replies that he feels the same way. As the others listen, he warns them that they are the only ones who can help Rin and if something is not done, Rin is going to stop swimming. There is a brief pause where he asks Haruka what he wants to do, and Haruka can only whisper that he wants to swim with Rin.

The team searches for Rin, running out of time as the relay is going to start soon. Haruka eventually discovers him, looking wistfully at a tree. He is displeased at Haruka’s presence and goads him to laugh at him as he is "not even good enough to race the guys in a relay." Haruka tells Rin that he knows how fun it is to swim with friends and the feeling of swimming in a relay, adding that Rin is the person who taught him that.

This admission stuns Rin momentarily, but his surprise is soon replaced by anger. He aims a punch at Haruka who manages to dodge it; however, he loses his footing and falls to the ground, pulling Rin off balance, too. They struggle on the ground for a few moments, but something catches Rin's attention. As his hands grip Haru's collar, he sees written on the ground “For the Team”, a phrase that Rin had sworn to when he was in elementary school. Haruka had purposefully done this, saying aloud that the tree looks like the one that was in their elementary school yard. At this, Rin's tears drip onto Haruka's face and he sobs that that he wants to swim in a relay with them but it is too late now. Haruka counters that, no, it isn't. The rest of the team arrives and Rei says that if Rin wants to swim, to “go ahead.” Haruka extends a hand to Rin once they are on their feet, telling Rin that, this time, it's his turn to "show you a sight you've never seen before."

The relay is starting and the team makes it just in time. Gou Matsuoka, Goro Sasabe and Miho Amakata stare in shock while Aiichiro and Captain Seijuro Mikoshiba also spot Rin as he adjusts his goggles. Rei appears beside them and asks them to cheer Rin on. Iwatobi achieves first place and Nagisa Hazuki starts crying tears of joy. Rin rushes Haruka the minute that he is out of the water, telling him that that was the best sight he could've asked for. As Haruka smiles, the rest of the team creates a group hug.

Afterwards, Miho chastises them for pulling off such a stunt. They were disqualified and had to endure a scolding from the staff there. When Goro asks the reason for their actions, Rei says that it is only right and the rest agree, saying that even though they are from different teams, they are still teammates.

Rin apologizes to Seijuro, accepting responsibility and asking to be kicked out of the Samezuka Swimming Club. He also apologizes to Aiichiro for his earlier tantrum. Seijuro says that Rin just has to "swim the way you just did for our team." Rin calls Aiichiro by a shortened form of his name and asks him to practice with him from tomorrow onwards, to which Aiichiro blushes and stammers.

In a later classroom, Rin is seen introducing himself; however, it is just a mock re-enactment of his first day at Iwatobi Elementary School. Nagisa and Makoto say that it isn't the same, and Rei tells him to put more effort in, whereas Haru remains silent at the back of the classroom; all of them pretending to be students. Gou and Aiichiro come in and complain about their fooling around as their joint training is about to begin.

The five boys run together. Whilst they are in full sprint, Haruka asks Rin if he is still going to follow his father's dream. This time, Rin grins and answers that he is now following his own. When the question is returned, however, Haruka finds that he can't reply and simply returns to looking ahead, to the future.