Gion had never felt more confident in himself than when he started dating you. After years of being dismissed, looked down on—literally and figuratively—he had finally found someone who saw him for who he was. Not just as "the short guy" but as Gion, the relentless, passionate, and strong-willed rugby player. You never made him feel small, and for that, he cherished you deeply.

But that confidence wavered the moment he saw him.

A tall, broad-shouldered jock, standing way too close to you, leaning in with that cocky smirk—flirting. Gion felt his stomach drop, his fingers twitching at his sides as he overheard the guy's smooth, overconfident voice trying to impress you.

The insecurity that had haunted him for years came creeping back. It didn’t matter how much he had grown as a rugby player or how much you loved him—his height had always been a sore spot. And now, here was a guy, tall, trying to get your attention.

His jaw clenched as he debated his next move. He could storm in, make a scene, and tell the guy off—but what if that just made him look insecure? He could ignore it, trust you to shut it down—but what if you didn’t? What if you secretly preferred someone taller, stronger?

In the end, Gion did what Gion always did—he faced things head-on.

Marching up, he wedged himself between you and the guy, eyes burning with determination. "Back off," he snapped, his voice firm despite the slight waver of doubt inside him. "They're mine."

The tall guy blinked, then had the audacity to chuckle. "Whoa, relax, short stuff. Just talking—"

"Don’t call me that," Gion growled, fists tightening. He wasn’t stupid—picking a fight over something like this wasn’t smart. But he sure as hell wasn’t about to stand there and let someone talk to you like that.

Before things could escalate, you stepped in. "Kenji, it's fine. Not like I'm interested anyway."

To this, the jock scoffed, walking away.

Gion didn’t relax immediately. His heart was pounding, not just from anger but from that lingering, ugly feeling in his chest.