The athletics team goes to Hiroshima for the Inter High championships where Yamato and Hattori also tag along. Yamato will not be competing since he lost in the prefectural race while Hattori has nothing better to do during the summer holidays. The captain tells Yamato that he should train during this period despite him not taking part in any race. Yamato gives the excuse that he's buying a drink in order to escape from the captain's nagging.On the way to the store, Yamato asks Asahina if she wants to have a drink but she rejects Yamato's gesture and treats him coldly. Asahina also tells Yamato not to talk to her as she's trying to concentrate on thinking about the upcoming Inter High. Yamato feels that Asahina has been treating him like this ever since he overheard her telling Honoka that she doesn't like him.
Honoka sees how dejected Yamato is when he heard Asahina's words. Hattori teases her for looking so sad when she sees Yamato feeling down. He tells Honoka to confess her feelings for Yamato soon or else he might be snatched by someone else. This makes Honoka feel the heat at the possibility of Asahina lying to her about how she really feels for Yamato.
Hattori tells Yamato to bring him around the city since his hometown is in the locality but the latter says that he's not familar with the urban area. Just then, Yamato meets Arima and greets him but the latter ignores him. Yamato starts to feel that his distance with Asahina is probably as far as his distance with Arima who is the No.1 runner in the country. Miki tries to cheer Yamato up but to no avail.
During dinner, Miki mentions this to Asahina and says that Yamato might be disappointed with the lack of improvement in his recent race times. Asahina feels that it's no point worrying over this since he can't improve within a few months. Thus, Miki tells Asahina to encourage Yamato but she refuses to do so since this is none of her business.
Yamato is practising alone and gets more discouraged at his lack-lustre results. Just then, Honoka comes to look for him and tries to lighten up the atmosphere so that he will not wallow in despair. After hearing Honoka's encouragement, Yamato starts to feel better but he gets a shock when she suddenly reaches out to hold his hand. However, Honoka happens to see Asahina coming to look for Yamato and kisses him on impulse so that he will not look behind and see Asahina. Yamato's mind is in a blank and he can only remember that Honoka's lips are very soft. Honoka then runs away and meets Asahina at the gate but does not say anything to her.
Yamato is shocked to see Asahina suddenly while he is thinking why Honoka kissed him. He starts to stammer but he manages to calm himself down by thinking of the fact that he doesn't need to feel guilty about kissing Honoka. Asahina tells him to relax while training and to cheer her on tomorrow during her event. Yamato gets more frustrated with Asahina who talks about athletics only and feels that he still likes her but deep down, he's starting to think more about Honoka.
The next day, Yamato's mind is taken up by Honoka and when she sits beside him at the stadium, he can't help but stare at Honoka who apologises for what she did. During this time, Asahina has got No.3 in the Inter High and Yamato actually failed to see that since he was thinking about Honoka. This also makes Yamato feel that things between him and Asahina are getting more impossible since she's a national-class athlete now. When Honoka wants to leave her seat, Yamato holds her hand and the two of them sit in silence.
At night, the Year 1s are preparing for the celebration party and Yamato can't help looking at Honoka instead of Asahina. During dinner, the captain is looking for Yamato but he's not around. As such, he asks Miki to look for Yamato.
Meanwhile, Yamato is sitting beside the koi pond and wonders why he keeps thinking of Honoka despite him liking Asahina. Just then, Honoka comes to join him and Yamato can't help but feel at peace when he's with Honoka as compared to Asahina. Honoka is about to slip and fall but Yamato manages to grab her in time. When Honoka takes the initiative to kiss Yamato, he backs off and she apologises for doing this since they are not lovers. Yamato sees Honoka crying and suddenly hugs and kisses her. Miki happens to see this while she is looking for Yamato...
Bravo for Honoka! Frankly speaking, I don't like most of the characters who come into the male and female leads' relationship but in this case, I think Asahina has herself to blame for bringing Yamato and Honoka together. If she wasn't so proud and unwillingly to face up to her real feelings, things between Yamato and her would not be that strained. Even though Honoka did kiss Yamato first, if his relationship with Asahina was amicable and had the possibility for further development, I doubt he would have kissed Honoka back. Basically, Honoka didn't do anything evil to break them up. It's more of a case of seizing the perfect opportunity at the right timing in her favour. Since Yamato keeps feeling unsecure about the gap between him and Asahina and that their relationship has been turbulent to date, it's no wonder he is looking towards Honoka for a peaceful and more smooth-sailing relationship.
Trust Asahina to say things like, "I never thought that you can find a girlfriend" in the next episode's trailer! I would have preferred that she keeps her mouth shut instead of passing remarks like this which would hurt Yamato even he may start to date Honoka. Deep down, Yamato still has feelings for her and hearing things like this would probably widen the rift between them.
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