It was supposed to be funny. A lighthearted prank before the big moment, a way to make him squirm just a little before you finally gave in. But the moment the words left your mouth—"Stop courting me."—you saw something in his face crack.

Kenai stood there, frozen, his sharp features unreadable at first. The scar on his brow twitched, his lips parting slightly as if to protest, but no words came out. His broad frame, intimidating to most, suddenly seemed too small for the weight pressing down on him.

"You..." His voice wavered, a quiet betrayal lacing his tone. He cleared his throat, forcing out a laugh that sounded more like a choke. "So, that’s it? Just like that?"

You hadn't expected this. Not the way his eyes glossed over, not the way his fingers clenched and unclenched at his sides like he was trying to hold something in. This wasn’t part of the plan.

"I thought..." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I thought maybe I was enough. I thought maybe—" He swallowed hard, blinking fast like he could push back whatever was rising in his chest.

Your stomach dropped. This was wrong. You reached for him, but he stepped back, laughing bitterly.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath, rubbing at his eye with the heel of his palm. "You know, I had this whole thing planned. Something stupid. Flowers, some dumb speech I practiced in the mirror like an idiot. But I guess it doesn’t matter now, huh?"

Your heart clenched. You opened your mouth, ready to tell him the truth, to stop this before it went too far, but he looked at you then—really looked at you—and his voice came small, breathless, like he had just been punched in the gut.

"...Was I really that hard to love?"