I am not a big fan of romance manga, in fact i kind of hate the genre, and can't really stomach a lot of things with it.
So for me this is probably the first time reading such a mold breaking thing, and it is something so simple, so rational, so organic so normal yet so damn alien.
The female protagonist just asked the male character about what exactly they are going to protect them from.
I have always found it weird and think it is some sexist bullshit and a roundabout way for the male characters to express themselves, and badly at that, so instead they come and say that they will protect them, but from fucking what? generic romance don't even have bullies in them, people don't even stub their toes, sadness only exist in the form or romantic misunderstandings, they are made of fluff and cookies, hearths and so much corniness that i wonder if what they want to protect them is from the diabetes in the air.
And sure lately they have twisted it on adding "protect her smile", as an equally stupid way of saying that they want to make her happy, but that's just a cope out to keep a that alive.
In here however there's a legit concern for danger, and she still ask about it, it is funny the one manga that could have gotten away with the stupid trope actually acknowledges in universe how weird saying such a thing is, and is such a small detail i wonder why it is so rare.