In the end, Hayashi accompanied Todo to Takada's private handshake event. The event wasn't being held in Tokyo, so it took a bit of traveling to get there.
Todo was visibly excited during the entire journey, chatting away with Hayashi about one thing or another.
Hayashi didn't expect Todo to have so much to say when it came to women. Usually, Todo had this lofty, cold demeanor, but when it came to his softer side, he was like a child.
So, understanding a person isn't just about appearances—it's about their heart. To truly know someone, you have to know their heart.
"I'm right, aren't I, best friend?"
"Huh? What did you say?"
Hayashi had been lost in thought and hadn't heard what Todo was saying.
"Pay attention! I'm talking about the mysteries of women, and you're not focused at all," Todo looked at Hayashi with a face full of disdain. "You should be as focused as you were when we fought!"
Hayashi had no response to that. The idea of using the same intensity from battle to analyze and understand women—he couldn't do it.
When they finally arrived at the venue for Takada's event, it was already packed with people. The line at the entrance was almost entirely male, which showed just how much of a pull Takada had on men.
Todo could hardly contain his excitement. While waiting in line, his eyes were glued to the large posters of Takada on the walls, completely mesmerized.
To get into Takada's private handshake event, you needed a ticket. Luckily, Todo had four. He gave one to Hayashi to get in, and Hayashi would return it to Todo once inside.
After about twenty minutes of waiting, they finally entered the venue.
Inside, it was even more lively than outside—packed with people, most of them men. Takada stood at a table, continuously shaking hands with fans, and with every handshake, she flashed a dazzling smile.
The young men could hardly resist her charm. Almost all of them had dazed, entranced expressions on their faces.
Hayashi watched from a distance, finding the whole scene rather novel. He had never experienced anything like this. Takada was nearly as tall as he was, standing at about 180 cm. Without counting her shoes, she was indeed quite tall.
Tall women have a certain advantage. Their bodies tend to look more balanced and proportionate, and Takada's face and overall aura were unmatched.
"I'm heading over. You stay here. If you change your mind, I can give you a handshake ticket. Seriously, I won't feel bad about it," Todo said.
But the pained expression on Todo's face betrayed his words. Hayashi chuckled. "You really think you believe that yourself?"
"Well, since you don't want it, I'll go line up." Todo charged into the crowd, towering over everyone else like a bull among sheep.
Some of the men in the line wanted to say something to Todo, but when they saw his towering frame and muscular build, they quickly changed their minds.
Hayashi moved to the side, watching Takada up close. He had to admit, she was indeed captivating. Her charming features, adorable expressions, balanced figure, and... prominent assets sent waves of affection through the hearts of the men around her.
Watching this, Hayashi suddenly thought of Maki and Zhang Yiyi. They were both tall, attractive women, but their styles were entirely different from Takada's.
Maki, with her glasses on, might not stand out as much, but once she took them off, she was the very definition of valiant beauty. Zhang Yiyi was similarly beautiful, though with a more wild, untamable air. Women like them were not easily conquered by men.
Finally, it was Todo's turn to shake hands with Takada.
He cautiously approached her, blushing like a child waiting to be praised.
Takada smiled sweetly, extending both hands to hold Todo's slightly trembling one. In that instant, Todo felt as if his soul had been elevated.
"Um... can you do the 'Little Takada Wave'?" Todo asked, his voice soft and gentle.
Without even thinking, Takada replied, "Sure, let's begin!"
She took a step back, raised one hand, pulling it down in front of her eye, and made a "peace" sign near her face. "Takada-chan~~~"
This adorable gesture made not only Todo beam with joy, but also caused the men in line behind him to blush. In their minds, only one thought echoed: She's too cute!
"Time's up," the staff member said, coming out to escort Todo, who was still lost in his dreamland, out of the line. The next fan immediately took his place.
That's how fast it went. Just like that, one of Todo's precious handshake tickets was used up.
But!
Todo had four handshake tickets. After being ushered out by security, he immediately jumped back in line, eager for his second round of handshakes.
Hayashi, standing off to the side, shook his head. While Takada did fit the type of woman he had described as liking, he wasn't nearly as obsessed as Todo. Todo's level of infatuation was almost terrifying.
When the handshake event finally ended, Todo was still basking in the memories of the handshakes with Takada.
It wasn't until Hayashi tapped him on the shoulder that Todo snapped out of his daze.
"It's time to eat," Hayashi said, reluctant to break Todo's bliss, but really, it was time to stop the daydreaming. There had to be a limit.
"Hey, let's grab some ramen, brother!"
When Todo said that, something clicked in Hayashi's mind. With a puzzled expression, he asked, "Todo Aoi, what's your relationship with Nendou Riki?"
Todo Aoi.
Nendou Riki.
Why did those names resonate with each other?
"Huh?" Todo looked confused. "Nendou Riki? Who's that?"
"Oh, never mind. I just thought you reminded me of a friend of mine in some ways," Hayashi said, realizing he was just making an offhand comment. If Todo actually knew Nendou Riki, that would've been terrifying.
Though, in this world, there were anime like Bleach and Naruto, so there were likely other serialized anime as well. Hayashi hadn't really looked into it much.
It seemed like Saiki Kusuo didn't exist in this world.
"Well, your friend must have good taste. If we ever meet, introduce us. A friend of my best friend is probably no ordinary person," Todo laughed, clearly in a great mood. His joy stemmed from his four handshakes with Takada.
The envious and jealous looks from the other guys only made Todo feel more triumphant. It was such a great feeling.
Hayashi nodded absentmindedly. If Todo ever did meet Nendou, it'd be a miracle. Such an encounter was impossible, unless the timelines got mixed up.
Afterward, Todo and Hayashi found a local ramen shop and slurped away at their bowls, seemingly growing closer in the process.