"We're sorry, but no."
"He isn't a cosplayer."
Before Nifuji was able to react, Eli and Mayuri quickly reacted by standing before him as they stopped the group of photographers.
"Ah...."
The group of photographers quickly showed their regrets and then apologized before they left.
"That's a shame..."
"He is so handsome, so I thought that he might be a certain character from something."
"If I can get his photo, I am sure that my social media will be flooded!"
"That's right! That's right! Those women on the internet will go crazy!"
"Shh... he might be part of the organizers, you know? Do you want to be banned?!"
"..." Everyone.
Still, while the photographers were speechless before they looked at Nifuji and bowed their heads several times, afraid that they would be remembered, considering they felt like he might be one among the organizers, Nifuji just nodded, but inwardly, he felt speechless, yet also asked, "I think they can take a secret photo, right?"
Frankly, it was quite common for him to have strangers take his photo secretly.
While he accepted it, as he knew that his face had become so handsome, after all the rewards from the system, and his scent was so nice that people would try to get close to him as soon as he appeared, still, regardless, it also made him unable to part away from the private vehicle since on the public transportation, all types of people existed, including a pervert.
Everyone thought that it was okay since Nifuji was a man, but there was also a female pervert, okay?
As for why no one found them, it was because those men never thought to report those female perverts, and even if they felt emotions other than joy, they would die rather than admit it, as it would feel like being humiliated.
Lastly, if you don't believe me, then it is because you aren't handsome enough to be grobbed by female perverts.
Regardless, it surprised him that everyone seemed polite; when they were refused, instead of taking a secret photo, they just apologized and walked away.
Was there a reason for that?
"Hehe..." 2x
Instead of being annoyed, Mayuri and Eli appeared to be happy when Nifuji asked that question.
"...don't be creepy and just answer me."
"How cruel!" 2x
Yet, even so, Eli and Mayuri explained to him about the Photography Etiquette (The "Kamerako" Code).
"...there is something like that?"
"There is!"
"First, the "Line" System!"
"Line?"
"Popular cosplayers (like the "Heavenly Queens") have a long line of photographers. Okumura must wait his turn patiently. Cutting in line is a major taboo."
"Oh..." Nifuji nodded. "What else?"
"Asking for Permission. Like those people earlier." Eli looked toward the photographers they had refused. "He, she, or they must verbally ask, 'May I take a photo?' before raising his/her camera. Taking 'sneak shots' (candid photos without asking) is considered harassment (tosatsu) and can get them banned.
"...." Nifuji.
Now, he understood why no one was so fierce by taking a sneak shot at him.
"Third, the Low-Angle Ban."
"The low-angle ban?"
As Nifuji raised his brows, Mayuri explained, "Shooting from a low angle (upwards from the ground) is strictly regulated to prevent 'upskirt' shots. Some photographers often kneel to get eye-level, but he must be careful not to go too low, or the staff will warn them."
"I see." Nifuji nodded, thinking that while this etiquette might be quite troublesome, it also brought comfort to cosplayers, as those who wanted the photos of their panties be taken, right?
"Fourth, the 'Check' Protocol."
"There is more?"
"There is one more, but let me explain this one first."
"Okay."
"After taking the photo, it is polite to show the cosplayer the camera screen to check the image. If the cosplayer hates the angle or their expression, Okumura must offer to delete it or retake it."
"It must be hell for a beginner photographer."
When Nifuji thought of a newbie beginner, who kept making mistakes, wasting everyone's time, unless they came with their friends, who were cosplayers, or a lover, like many popular anime, he knew well that they might have some trauma or simply stopped taking photography.
However, if they tried, Nifuji knew that they had a chance to turn this hobby into money.
"Lastly, the Data Exchange."
"The data exchange?"
"Instead of exchanging phone numbers (which is creepy), they exchange Twitter (X) handles or business cards. This allows them to send the high-res data to the cosplayer later."
"Hmm..." Nifuji thought for a moment and asked, "Is there also an etiquette for the cosplayer or changing room?"
Only, he felt a bit of regret as he asked this question, especially since he knew well that they would say a lot of things, and because of that, he said, "Let's stop that, and walk around first, since it's my first time here. Also, aren't you curious about your student?"
Okumura and Ririsa had entered the hall first, and naturally, they must have prepared their booths, and because of that, a question emerged in their mind: would they be okay?
"Okay, let's check on them first."
Mayuri nodded, because as a teacher, even if she had told her students to be prepared and had learned the experience herself, she still worried about them, knowing that not all otaku were kind and many were creepy.
Yes, those people might not dare to hurt their favorite, but even so, they would do many acts that would make those cosplayers feel uncomfortable.
Nifuji also knew how dangerous the men were, especially those who didn't understand common sense, but he would be lying if he wasn't worried, since as he was in society, he knew how troublesome and fearsome those people were as they had never tried to understand how much trouble they had caused instead they thought their feelings as granted and those cosplayers should be happy that they were favored by "special beings" like them.
"However, you don't have to worry, Hirotaka."
"Why?" Nifuji looked at Eli with doubt.
"In this type of event, the security and the staff are serious, and once they find someone strange, they will ban that person."
Ban.
In the professional cosplay world (both in anime and real life), the "Blacklist" is a very real and serious tool. It is not just a piece of paper; it is a shared security measure used by event organizers to prevent dangerous individuals from entering venues like Tokyo Big Sight or the TFT Hall.
"I see..." Niufuji nodded. "Even so, a lookout, a male or friend's presence, is necessary."
"Yes." 2x
After all, if one was alone, they would be frightened, too nervous to do anything when something happened, yet even so, considering the theme of the story where Ririsa and Okumura came to, there wasn't the need to worry and instead, Nifuji nodded, and understood why Ririsa could trigger his system, especially when he saw her in her cosplay costume.
Yet even so, let's focus on those adult heroines, who are safe and won't make him be banned.
Yup, let's be healthy!