The witch handed the little mermaid a knife and said,
"Use this to pierce the prince's heart, and you will return to your original form.
If you fail, you will turn into sea foam and disappear."
And I...
Toono-kun?
Hey, you're here, too?
Yeah, to root for my friends.
Friends...
You know, Toono-kun, when I swam with you,
I got the sense that you were trying too hard at something.
Trying too hard? Me?
Well, you have to try hard to win at tournaments.
That's not what I mean.
I mean, like, with Ikuya...
Can't you have a little more faith in him?
I think it would make it easier for you to swim, too.
You can just be you in the water.
Like—
Like Nanase? Is that what you're getting at?
He's all anyone ever talks about!
If Ikuya had never seen him again...
Why?
I seriously don't get it!
I can't really explain it,
but if you swam with Haru, you'd understand.
He has something special when he's in the water.
Let's go. Ikuya's race is starting.
The third heat of the men's 200m individual medley will now begin.
Episode 8: Metamorphosis of the Soul!
Sorry I took so long.
You're late, Nao.
Looks like I somewhat made it in time.
But, man...
Who knew Haruka, the guy who insisted he'd only swim free, would do this?
We all grow up. He's no different.
Nanase from Taka U is in the next lane...
I didn't know he swam the IM.
Unity
You and Kirishima Ikuya were buddies in middle school, right?
That's right.
This should be a good race.
Take your marks.
Wow, the butterfly!
Haru's amazing!
But...
Ikuya is...
That doesn't seem like him at all.
It's like he's fighting with the water.
Haruka's improved his turn.
You'd never know it was his first time doing that stroke.
Yeah.
Why can't I swim the way I mean to?
The water... feels heavy...
Haru?
The sound of water...
A liberated sound.
He doesn't pin himself down, and he's not bound by speed.
Can someone really be this free?
Haru hasn't changed at all since then.
I'm the one who's changed.
Before I knew it, I'd built a cage around my heart.
But...
I think I finally understand why I kept clinging to swimming.
All along, I was afraid
of ending up alone again.
I thought everyone would end up leaving me.
So I tried to get stronger.
Strong enough not to break even if I'm alone.
Strong enough to be able to fight on my own.
That's why I so desperately kept swimming.
I pushed myself into a corner, all alone...
But I was wrong.
All I was doing was running away.
I was terrified of ending up alone,
and I hid that by swimming like my life depended on it.
In reality, the opposite was true.
It's not about getting stronger so I can carry on alone.
If I'm not gaining that strength for someone else, there's no point.
That's what true strength is.
And gaining that has to be what it really means
to be free!
The water's changed...
Ikuya...
is back!
Both of you!
Go!
All right!
No, it's not! Nanase lost!
Who cares about those little details?!
Haru.
I'm back.
Welcome back.
I finally kept my promise to you.
You remembered...
I'd never forget that.
Haru...
Haru!
Looks like everything's okay now.
Yeah.
It does.
The shooting stars we saw that night...
Oh, that's right. During the meteor shower.
What did you wish for then?
It was...
Hey, there you are!
Asahi... Makoto...
Ikuya, congratulations on coming in first.
That was an awesome race!
Thanks.
What were you guys talking about?
Huh?
What we wished for the night of our training camp.
Wha... Haru!
Really? Hey, Ikuya, tell us about it!
I wanna hear it, too!
That night, I wished
that I'd become like Haru.
That I could become a hero like Haru.
A hero?
Yeah. Not a hero that fights evil and stuff,
but the kind that everyone looks up to.
The kind that helps out whenever someone is lost or stuck.
What even...
Haru's embarrassed!
I am not.
You might be someone's hero already, Ikuya.
I don't...
Yeah, that's true!
You just don't realize it.
Just like Haru.
Makoto...
Heroes don't see themselves as heroes. That's what makes them heroes.
And now that I've wrapped that up so nicely...
Is that for you to say?
Shall we head back? There are still more races.
And isn't there something you'd like to tell your friends from Shimo U?
Yeah...
Go on, Ikuya.
I'll see you later!
Yep.
Sure!
Let's head back too, Haru.
The freestyle relay is next.
Yeah.
What's wrong, Haru?
Just thinking, am I really Ikuya's hero?
Not just Ikuya's, I'm sure.
Hiyori...
You really are amazing, Ikuya.
You come through when it really counts.
Hiyori, I was thinking...
I want to swim relays again.
With Nanase?
No!
That's not what I mean!
Hey, there you are, Kirishima.
Captain Hoshikawa...
It looked like you finally got back into your stride in that last race.
Thank you.
So I wanted to run this by you...
Do you want to be in the freestyle relay,
the last event of the college championships?
If you can swim freestyle the way you just did, we can win.
Yes. Please let me do it.
Good answer.
But I have one request.
Let's hear it.
Put Hiyori in it, too.
I've only done solo events for so long,
I haven't practiced relay exchanges.
But if I'm in it with Hiyori,
I know I can pull it off.
Ikuya...
Makes sense.
I have no objections to putting Toono in.
Will you do it, Toono?
But...
I thought about it, and I realized we've never done a relay together.
This is what we should've done from the start.
Come on. Swim with me, Hiyori.
Okay, Ikuya.
Haru... Qualified for the All-Japan in the 100m and 200m freestyle.
Ta-da!
Haruka-senpai easily beat the base time in the 100m freestyle!
That means, in the next tournament...
Haru-chan and Rin-chan will finally face off again!
He also says Haruka-senpai swam in the IM!
What?! The Haru-chan who says he only swims free...
...swam in the IM?
"I am"?
Not "I am"! The "IM"!
So what were the results?
He didn't beat the base time, but he came in second.
And he's going to be in the freestyle relay next!
Really?!
The freestyle relay is the highlight of the college championships!
It's being broadcast live, right?
I wanna watch Haru-chan swim!
I wanna watch, too!
Leave that to me.
I thought this might happen,
so I've already reserved the A/V room.
Classroom Usage Permission Form
Year: 1 Class: 1 Homeroom Teacher: Amakata Miho Name: Kunikida Ayumu Permission is granted to use the following room. Room granted: Audiovisual room Other resources: TV Purpose of request: Club activities Time frame: July 25th 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
All right!
Men's 400m Freestyle Relay 5 Hidaka University
1st Leg: Mikoshiba Seijuurou 2nd Leg: Kiryuu Isana 3rd Leg: Shiina Asahi
Nii-chan's up first!
I guess the strategy is to take an early lead and hold it.
Yeah, but Shimo U is in the next lane,
and their ace, Captain Hoshikawa, is first.
Men's 400m Freestyle Relay
4 Shimogami University 5 Hidaka University
1st Leg: Hoshikawa Tsubasa 2nd Leg: Terashima Kotarou 3rd Leg: Kirishima Ikuya 4th Leg: Toono Hiyori
1st Leg: Mikoshiba Seijuurou 2nd Leg: Kiryuu Isana 3rd Leg: Shiina Asahi 4th Leg: Nanase Haruka
This should be an incredible race.
Shiina Asahi Nanase Haruka
Chappy-senpai is the anchor...
As a first-year?
Yeah. Once you see Haruka-senpai swim,
you'll understand!
Hidaka will be taking the championship this year.
We'll show you the true strength of Shimo U.
Take your marks.
Go!
Go, Nii-chan!
Haven't seen you since the newcomer tournament, Archerfish.
Shut it, Kiryuu.
I'm a bazooka today.
I'll blow you to smithereens!
Go, Kiryuu!
Asahi, are you actually nervous?
Not a chance.
I bet you're freaking out, though, huh?
I'm fine. I practiced telling myself in the mirror,
"I'm a genius. I'm a genius."
Familiar?
Wha... You jerk! Don't copy me!
Shiina!
Kirishima!
They're even!
Trust your friend.
Trust Ikuya.
I don't need you to tell me.
I do trust him.
Hiyori!
Haru!
This is...
what Ikuya felt in Nanase's freestyle.
If you swam with Haru, you'd understand.
I think it would make it easier for you to swim, too.
I can just be me in the water...
Hiyori!
I think I understand now...
A little more about Nanase,
and Ikuya, too.
Toono's gaining speed!
Hiyori!
Toono!
Haru!
Nanase!
Shimogami University Hidaka University Keirinkan University
I guess I lost.
In free, maybe.
Ikuya...
Hiyori, thanks for swimming with me.
That's my line.
Thanks!
Way to go, Nanase!
That was so much fun!
That was some nice swimming, Toono!
What do you two think now?
Relays are pretty great, right?
Yeah!
This concludes today's events.
Nanase-kun really is amazing.
I'd give him 70 points.
Huh?
He has room for improvement.
Are you saying he can transform even more?
We'll just have to look forward to seeing what he transforms into.
Hey, Hiyori.
Back when I was in kindergarten...
At the swimming school I went to,
there was one kid who was always swimming alone.
I wanted to be that kid's friend,
but I had trouble bringing myself to talk to him.
One day, I finally did,
and he...
smiled at me.
It was a beautiful smile.
But not long after that, he moved away,
and I didn't see him again.
Was that kid...
I bet your smile was that kid's salvation.
You were a hero to him, Ikuya.
Hey.
Bro...
Nice job. Congratulations.
Thanks.
You've worked hard, Ikuya. Really hard.
Yeah.
I'm sorry, Ikuya.
Why are you apologizing?
You're right. I need to thank you.
I have a new dream, thanks to you.
Huh?
A dream to take on the world with you someday.
Not for prize money, either.
It's just...
a dream to fight for my strength and pride, plain and simple.
A dream to be number one in the world.
Bro...
Are you crying?
Idiot! I'm not crying!
Natsuya-kun?
Hey, Hiyori.
Your exchange with Ikuya was perfect.
It was a great race.
Thank you.
Also...
I'm sorry for leaving you to look after Ikuya.
It was too heavy a burden to put on you.
No, it's all right.
Did you just call me a burden?
Sorry about that.
Well, I got to see you both, so I'm gonna head home.
See ya.
Why don't you go, too?
You look bored.
Nah.
Just thinking that I only ever saw one side of Ikuya... Um...
Oh, I'm Shigino Kisumi.
Hey, want to join my basketball club?
I'll think about it.
Wow, that's awesome!
Maybe your teams should have a joint practice sometime!
I'll ask our captain.
Just so you know, our practices are pretty tough.
Think you can keep up, Asahi?
What about you?
Think you can keep up with my training?
What's your training, exactly?
Push-ups while standing on my head and flutter kicking—
That's not even possible, you idiot.
Hey! Let me finish!
Come on, you two...
You know, Asahi, you've always...
The past has nothing to do with today!
Seriously, Asahi...
Haru-chan's challenge against the world begins!
Who are those guys?
Next time: "Interval in the Evening Calm!"
Episode 9: Interval in the Evening Calm!
Interval...