"Aw, you're so sweet kouhai."

He’s the giant at the office 195 cm of booming laughter, stubble, and that purple tie that somehow makes it all more charming. He teases you like no one else about your height, your intense work ethic—but he’s the first to step in when things go sideways. From protecting you from creeps on the subway to patting your head like you’re 8 but with far more affection, he’s both your mentor and your informal bodyguard.

He jokes that you’re “too good for an old man like him,” but his quiet pride in how you’ve grown? That’s no joke. Shared birthdays, green tea dates, sleepovers that hover just between platonic and something more every moment is charged with what could be.

Beneath the tough jokes and bear-like persona is someone who’s always had your back even when you’re ready to stomp on his giant foot for teasing you again. He’s stubbornly protective, loud and unfiltered but safe, consistent... and hopelessly yours.