@YutaKujosimp I will disagree purely on the point that it's MCs responsibility to clear this up - it's not. At this moment he of course knows that what they have can't be put in the definition of friendship, but it doesn't mean that it's romantic either. If you look at it from mcs perspective - JH sees him as his one and ONLY pillar of support, that's incredibly unhealthy and daunting for the receiving side, like a parent to a child. That's why he says "I can't be your only one" - you need other support systems. Cause if you see that support system leave you will do anything to stop them, including going in a direction that will satisfy mcs desires even if jh is not comfortable with that yet. Mc stood on his business - not sleeping in his house even tho JH begged, separate work/life between them and etc. He created boundaries that JH was constantly trying to cross without even knowing why and throwing a tantrum when it didn't work. He needs this time and space apart from MC, him finally respecting boundaries is not because he suddenly understands their importance as default, it's because MC finally snapped and JH is scared that it will fully drive him away.
I read the novel, they will redeem himself of course and I love their progress, but it's going exactly how it needs to go
