Say It Before You Regret It (Japanese: 哀しむ前に声を出せ Kanashimu Mae ni Koe o Dase) is the third episode of the anime series of The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat. It first aired in Japan on April 27th, 2013.
Plot
Youto visits Azusa at her apartment, but she has locked herself in her room, refusing to hear any explanation. Her mother, a cheerful and youthful woman, apologizes to Youto, but mentions that Azusa must feel secretly happy knowing that two friends came to check on her, especially considering what happened at her previous school.
In the evening, Youto and Tsukiko meet up again on the hill, sharing some steamed buns once again. As they eat, Tsukiko mentions that she also tried talking to Azusa earlier. She explains that she attempted to convince Azusa that the situation at the game center was her older sister's fault, but Azusa wouldn't listen. She also reveals that she hasn't spoken to Tsukushi since the game center encounter, likely indicating a further fracture in their already strained relationship.
Tsukiko turns the conversation to Youto, asking if he feels uncertain about how to handle things with Azusa. When Youto asks how she knows, Tsukiko simply replies that she knows a lot about him. Youto challenges her, asking if she knows what he's currently thinking — that the juice from the meat buns is making her lips look incredibly seductive.
Tsukiko responds that if he were just as honest with Azusa as he is with her, Azusa might forgive him. However, Youto admits that he struggles to find the right words when facing Azusa. Tsukiko reassures him, saying he's overthinking the situation. She encourages him to act on his feelings, even if it risks regret, because it's the only way for them to move forward.
Later, Youto meets Azusa's former classmates, Morii and Moriya, at a restaurant to learn more about what happened. The two girls deny having bullied Azusa, though they admit that their affectionate teasing may have gone too far at times. They recount a specific incident where, after Azusa stopped attending school for a while, they jokingly told her that the upcoming school trip was to Hokkaido when it was actually to Okinawa. They had intended to reveal the truth to her at the airport as a prank but hadn't expected her to travel to Hokkaido on her own. Not long after this incident, Azusa ended up transferring schools. The two girls remain cheerful throughout the conversation, insisting that they genuinely loved Azusa and never meant her any harm. At this point, Youto, frustrated, interrupts them, and tells them that they should tell these things to Azusa directly.
Afterwards, with her mother's help, Youto forces himself into Azusa's room and carries her out in her pajamas. Boarding a taxi, Youto gently confronts Azusa about her reliance on her facade to protect herself from emotional pain. He points out that she has a fragile heart, quick to take things the wrong way, which leads her to believe the world is against her. He tells Azusa that she is adding too many character traits to herself when she was already cute to begin with, assuring her that people, including himself, would like her more if she simply acted naturally.
The taxi stops at the foot of the hill where the Stony Cat resides. Since Azusa isn't wearing shoes, she requests a piggyback ride. Youto obliges, carrying her up the hill. Along the way, Azusa asks if Youto would fall head over heels for her if she acted naturally. Youto, however, responds with blunt honesty: he doesn't like her that much romantically and only meant liking her as a person. His response leaves Azusa visibly disheartened.
Arriving at the top of the hill, Youto lays out the truth about the Stony Cat statue, his facade, and Azusa's choker. Azusa accuses Youto of lying and only wanting his facade back, and compares herself to a chicken flapping its wings for believing he liked her. Youto apologizes sincerely, asking Azusa to be his friend, unrelated to his quest for his facade, but also acknowledges he still wants it back.
Azusa, moved by Youto's words, prays to the Stony Cat to give up her facade. With a burst of supernatural power released from the statue, Youto's belt reappears in his hands. Near the statue, Azusa finds a bag containing the stuffed turtle from the game center, along with a message left by Tsukiko, too asking to be her friend.
Azusa hesitates, questioning whether they can truly be friends, saying that a no matter how had a chicken flaps its wings, it wouldn't be able to fly. With his facade restored, Youto finds a lie naturally escaping his lips, claiming that one of the chickens at his elementary school could fly. He encourages Azusa that as a human, she can do anything if she tried. Showing her true feelings, Azusa smiles with genuine happiness, while Tsukiko watches them from the distance.
In her bed, Tsukiko dreams of a past encounter: She is alone in the backyard of a preschool, wearing a middle school uniform and an ogre mask. Hearing a rustling sound from a nearby thicket, she cautiously approaches it. Suddenly, Youto pops out from the bushes, dressed in his track-and-field club uniform. Waking up from the dream, Tsukiko heads to school, and when retrieving some files in her clubroom, a box of contains various masks falls down from the shelf, one of them being the ogre mask in the previous scene. The flashback resumes:
At the preschool, Tsukiko shares her experience of the day with Youto — she wasn't able to talk to the kids, despite her dream of becoming a preschool teacher. Youto suggests that the kids might like her more if she took off the mask, but Tsukiko confides that she is too quick to show her emotions, and even if she became friends with the children, that is not enough to become a teacher. She reveals that the reason she wears her mask is also to hide her facial expressions, but Youto believes that she might be using the wrong method.
He shares that he prefers swimsuits over his track-and-field club, but also can't just simply leave, comparing it to Tsukiko's situation. He emphasizes that while facades are important, it's still important to stay true to oneself. Youto suggests putting on a different mask instead — if she needs to put up a facade, she might as well put up a more pleasant one.
Tsukiko suddenly starts making a ruckus — a petal has flown into her uniform. Tsukiko pulls up her shirt and asks Youto for help removing the "bug," which is stuck to her belly button. Taking advantage of the situation, Youto gives in to his perverted nature and uses the excuse to feel out her belly button. Tsukiko struggles, calling out his perversion.
Back in the present, Tsukiko rubs her belly as she recalls the embarrassing memory, wishing she could forget it. She picks up the ogre mask and walks out of the clubroom, passing her older sister, Tsukushi, in the hallway, with neither of them speaking a word. Meanwhile, Azusa approaches Youto elsewhere in the school. She awkwardly invites Youto to go out somewhere, having Okinawa in mind, but Youto doesn't quite grasp her true intentions.
After school, Youto finds Tsukiko in an empty classroom again. She observes that Youto and Azusa have made up, and Youto thanks her for her help, saying that he owes her one. Tsukiko suggests that they go on a date as repayment, but when Youto says that he'd be happy to go on the date, she remarks that he seems to have regained his facade. Tsukiko withdraws her suggestion, but asks Youto to repay her with something else.
She reveals that she has been part of the children's welfare club since middles school, which involves going to preschools and plays with kids. She reads Youto a picture book, asking for feedback on her performance. The story, titled "The Cat on the Moon," is based on her past encounters with Youto.
The flashback resumes again as Tsukiko narrates her story. The first-year Youto returns to the preschool and finds Tsukiko wearing a new mask — one of a cat. Finding the new mask much more pleasant, Youto compliments her choice. Tsukiko reveals that she was much more popular with the children today thanks to his suggestion, relieved that she managed to make some good memories during her "last visit."
She elaborates that she won't be returning to this preschool for a while. Excitedly, she shares the reason — starting next month, she'll be attending Youto's high school. Tsukiko looks forward to running into him at school and asks if he'll recognize her when she's not wearing a mask. Youto promises that he will, so Tsukiko decides to not say anything even if she found him, challenging him to make the first move.
Back in the present, Tsukiko finishes telling her story, which ends with the cat finding the friends it longed for. As Tsukiko expected, Youto finds the performance rather flat and lacking emotions. He tries to be nice and focus on complimenting the drawings, but Tsukiko sees through him and insists that there's no need to use his facade. Despite this, she's glad that Youto liked her drawings. She decides that for now, she will work behind the scenes since she can't express emotions, claiming that she can be quite the utility player, boasting about her cooking and massaging skills.
The two of them move to the window, watching the track-and-field club practice below. Youto muses that as a utility player, Tsukiko would make a great manager for a sports team. He suggests she consider joining the track-and-field club, but Tsukiko is hesitant, revealing that her older sister "hates her."
Characters
Trivia
Deviations from Source Material
- In the light novel, the story that Tsukiko narrates is called "The Ostracized King," which was changed in the anime to incorporate the story of their first meeting.[1]
- In the light novel, first-year Youto repeatedly visits Tsukiko at the nursery school for an extended period before suggesting her to change her mask, instead of doing so the first time they meet.[2]
References
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 1 Chapter 5 — How to Bring Down the Breezy King
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 4 Chapter 1 — Moonlight Lost World
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