HS2C01: Jump

'Synopsis: Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana meet Asahi Shiina after gym class. Kisumi Shigino tries to enlist them all into the basketball club. Makoto decides to join, but only after he knows Haruka is ok with it. Aki Yazaki walks home from school with Haruka and Makoto while telling them the merits of their school’s swimming club. A black dog appears at the bottom of the stairs by Makoto’s house and while Makoto can not keep the dog, Haruka quietly considers it.'

The junior high basketball game is in full swing between Classes 1A and 1B. Haruka has the ball and tries to get past Makoto, who blocks him. Haruka ignores Kisumi’s shout to pass. Instead, he finds a way to make the basket and earn the point. The bell rings.

As they head to their next class, Makoto compliments the single basket shot made by Haruka, then dashes to music class. Asahi approaches without being asked. He’s been following Haruka since the school year began a few weeks ago, calling him the “kid who has no friends.” He leans on Haruka and asks how his jump shot looked. Haruka tells him what he thinks Asahi wants to hear. It’s easier that way and maybe he’ll leave.

Asahi’s hair is a spiky mess, the tops of the spikes just reaching the top of Haruka’s head. Maybe he should join the basketball team is Haruka’s suggestion, even as Asahi reminds him that they both belong to community swim clubs.

Kisumi approaches and begins to talk up the school’s basketball club. Asahi says that he and Haruka are busy. Haruka isn't listening because school clubs hold no meaning for him. Kisumi continues his pitch calling Asahi and Haruka by their first names, with no honorific, no less. Asahi objects but Haruka doesn’t care enough to mind.

As Haruka walks beside the fields of crops lining the route home, Makoto catches up to him and asks if he’s decided on a club. Haruka has not and Makoto is undecided about Kisumi’s invitation to join the basketball club. Makoto hesitates because he and Haruka belong to the Iwatobi Swimming Club (aka ISC) and joining basketball means cutting into swim time.

Makoto’s tone reflects his need for Haruka’s approval, but Haruka remains non-committal, forcing Makoto to decide for himself. “Do as you please,” is Haruka’s final answer and Makoto seems relieved. As they continue to walk, Haruka considers the dandelions growing by the roadside. They look fragile, but they’re actually very strong, able to tolerate the winter and return to life in the spring. Makoto, he thinks, is like that, too. The thought surprises him.

Makoto’s house and Haruka’s house are neighbors, although Haruka’s house sits closer to the Misagozaki shrine beyond a short flight of stairs. Makoto always waits for Haruka at the bottom of the stairs and they head to the ISC. Today, Haruka sees Makoto playing with a black dog. The dog has no collar and is likely abandoned.

They begin to run to the club and hear the dog following. Haruka tells Makoto to ignore it. They try to outrun it but, in the end, the dog follows them all the way to the pool. It sits patiently while the boys pant from exertion, then enter the building.

Inside, Nagisa Hazuki runs up to them in an excited manner. He tells them that he is trying to develop a new swim style out of the butterfly stroke, which evolved from the breast stroke. He dreams of being like Rin Matsuoka, who swims different strokes, because he wants to compete in an Individual Medley.

After Nagisa returns to the elementary group, Haruka dives into the pool: fingertips carving an opening in the water, followed by his body. Water and Haruka accept one another and feel the other’s existence. When Makoto dives in, there is no sound nor ripples, just Makoto’s existence beside his. Haruka feels the water and Makoto’s existence besides his as no place else…in the water.

When Haruka leaves the club, the black dog is waiting. He wonders why such a well-cared looking dog was abandoned, but he can’t imagine. Makoto and Nagisa join him. Nagisa plays with the dog and Haruka wonders if the dog will now belong to Nagisa. No matter. He begins to run home and the others follow, including the dog. When Nagisa parts company, the dog continues to follow Haruka and Makoto. When Haruka continues up the steps from Makoto’s house, the dog stays beside Makoto.

Haruka decides that the dog belongs to Makoto now. Still, it bothers him. When he checks again, it is still sitting at the bottom of the steps. Haruka brings back food and water, which the dog accepts with vigor. Haruka is amused, despite himself.

The following morning, Makoto is playing with the dog again, this time accompanied by his twin siblings. The twins leave for school and Haruka reminds Makoto not to encourage the dog. When they head off, the dog stays behind and Haruka wonders what would happen if they brought it into school. Of course, there would be a fuss.

After Makoto says he cannot keep the dog because his mom is allergic, he admits that he saw Haruka feeding the dog. Now embarrassed, Haruka says he will keep the dog if it’s still at the bottom of the steps when they return from school. It's not like he really wants the dog, but he doesn’t want to hear Makoto’s weird thoughts any longer. Then he’s angry with himself for being caught up in Makoto’s world again.

Aki Yazaki appears and she joins them, walking between the two. She smiles at Haruka and tells him she’s joined the school’s swimming club. Aki says the older girls are nice and Makoto is a little envious, then thinks that if he joins the basketball club, there will be older boys who will be nice to him. Then he asks why she quit the ISC. Aki explains that Iwatobi’s club focused too much on times and winning races. It made her anxious and she wants swimming to be fun. Makoto agrees with her that forming ties is what counts most. Haruka has no such desire

Makoto tells Aki that he’s going to join the basketball club that day, then nearly tells her about the dog, but refrains when Haruka shoots him a look. Instead, he mentions a boy named Ikuya Kirishima who said club activities are half-hearted. They wonder if he belongs to a community sport and Haruka mentions that the only Kirishima he remembers from tournaments is from another grade.

They walk on without speaking and Haruka notices a red flower blooming beside the road among a cluster of purple blooms. It seems to him that being different made it stronger. He then thinks about the black dog and a quiet wish is made.