Kimi ni Todoke S1E8 - Practicing on My Own

January 14, 2026

There is a new rumor going around about Sawako. The rumor is that if you can make Sawako laugh, you will have good luck. The rumor must have started because everyone who used Sawako's notes to study for the midterm received good grades. Ume is walking down the hallway with some friends. The friends talk about Sawako's rumor and how she is talking to Kazehaya frequently. Ume asks her friends if it would be weird if Kazehaya liked Sawako. Her friends laugh off the idea saying that it is impossible that Kazehaya likes Sawako.

Sawako, Yoshida, and Yano are sitting in the classroom. Hirano and Endo walk into the classroom. Yano tells Sawako that she has already made friends with Hirano and Endo. Sawako is happy to realize that she has more friends than she thought. Yoshida asks Hirano and Endo if they can stop using formal honorifics. Hirano calls herself Ekko and Endo calls herself Tomo. Yoshida says that they can call her Chizu. Yoshida says that they can call Yano either Yano-chin or Ayane. Sawako is impressed that Hirano and Endo are able to easily call Yoshida and Yano by their given names. Yoshida tells Sawako that she can speak to Yoshida, Yano, Hirano, and Endo by their given names. Sawako struggles to do so but she manages to speak to them after some effort. Seeing Sawako struggle a little, Yano suggests that Sawako only call girls by their given names.

Kazehaya walks into the classroom. Yano guides Sawako to practice calling Kazehaya by his given name with no honorific. Sawako is reluctant at first but tries and is able to. This causes Sawako's heartbeat to quicken. This happens when Sawako is flustered by her crush on Kazehaya.

Pin tells the class that today they will decide who is on the Sports Festival Committee. Pin says that he doesn't want it to bug him anymore so the PE representative will be on the committee, which is Kazehaya. Pin is the Sports Festival Committee Chairman. Pin is really excited for his homeroom class to win, so he comes up with a plan. Only the athletic students will compete in multiple sports, with the less athletic students calling in sick that day. Yoshida also shares in Pin's enthusiasm because she is good at volleyball and soccer.

Sawako isn't good at soccer so Kazehaya suggests that the class practice during lunch. Ume is in the bathroom and she overhears two female students discussing that Kazehaya is forced to be on the Sports Festival Committee and that they will practice during lunch. Ume is speaking with her friends and she tells them that Kazehaya is the representative for the Sports Festival Committee from Class D. Ume's friend suggests that since that is the case, Ume should be the class representative for their class. Ume should be the representative because that could be the catalyst to Kazehaya and Ume becoming the campus couple. Ume's friends agree to nominate Ume to be a representative for the Sports Festival Committee.

Sawako is wearing her hair in braids while she practices socccer. During a scrimmage, Sawako completely misses kicking the soccer ball. Yoshida suggests that Sawako practices kicking the soccer ball. A female student tells Yoshida that lunch is almost over and that they should head back to class. Sawako feels that she is burdening her teammates by them wasting time helping her improve. Sawako resolves to improve on her own. Sawako sees Kazehaya playing practicing soccer. Sawako smiles while watching Kazehaya practice. Sawako is looking at Kazehaya when Kazehaya notices Sawako's braids. Kazehaya then walks away. This causes Sawako's heartbeat to quicken while she watches Kazehaya walk away. Sawako spaces out for a little bit before Yoshida gets her attention by pulling her ear. Yoshida notices that Sawako's cheeks are red from blushing.

After class is over, Yoshida invites Yano and Sawako to eat ramen at a restaurant. Yano doesn't want to because she will gain weight. Yano says that Yoshida mentioned about going shopping earlier. Yoshida explains that she wants to by a red t-shirt to help her stand out as the star athlete. Yoshida asks Sawako if she will join them in going shopping. Sawako refuses because she needs to water the school's flowers but that she will go next time. The real reason is that Sawako wants to secretly practice playing soccer and she doesn't want to burden them because they would want to help her practice. Sawako is being considerate of Yoshida and Yano's free time. Sawako goes to water the flowers while Kazehaya goes to attend the Sports Festival Committee meeting.

Before going to water the flowers, Sawako asks if she can borrow a soccer ball from the PE teacher. The PE teacher refuses. Sawako then goes to water the flowers. At the committee meeting, Kazehaya sits in front of Ume. Kazehaya thanks Ume for her letting him borrow a CD. Ume tells Kazehaya that she wants to borrow a cd from Kazehaya. While Ume is talking to Kazehaya, Kazehaya sees Sawako watering the flowers and gets distracted. Ume sees that Kazehaya is looking at Sawako through the window. Kazehaya laughs when Sawako practices kicking a rock instead of a soccer ball. Ume stares at Sawako.

After the committee meeting, Kazehaya gives Sawako a soccer ball to practice with. He stands at a distance from her so that Sawako can practice kicking the soccer ball. At the end of this episode, we see that Ume is still in the room where the Sports Festival Committee was held. Ume is by the window watching Sawako and Kazehaya practice soccer together. Ume now recognizes Sawako as a love rival. Ume likes Kazehaya too.