his love was unrequited for ten years, but he saw things clearly. He didn't resent his friend because he himself chose not to confess, his friend was not obliged to notice or reciprocate his feelings. He loved him silently, and also moved on silently. But his friend eventually noticed (or at least had a hunch) and didn't say anything about it (they stayed friends).

ML was someone MC needed. He was observant and capable of analyzing mc's feelings. He once went a bit too far and analyzed mc's love for his friend. MC was hurt and actually got angry (clapclapclap). The next day ML came over and genuinely apologized to MC. I love when adult characters actually acted like proper adults. The way they got together was a bit funny. ML got a bit angry with MC and left him in the restaurant, but came back all grumpy because MC was just too pitiful sitting alone in a daze. ML thought that MC was troublesome, but he just couldn't bear leaving him alone. And typical of ml's personality, he just. Kissed MC and directly told him "haven't we been dating this whole time?" MC was dumbfounded "??? We have???" and then they had s*x lol. Truly, if it wasn't for ml's very decisive nature this novel would double in size.

usually in cn novels, the writer steps back and says "no, actually mc's unrequited love wasn't love at all" to lift up ML and mc's painful unrequited love got resolved just like that. But here MC was rightfully angry because ML analyzed that he didn't love his friend at all, undermining his feelings. He got angry, stormed off, thought it over for the whole night, then once ML apologized, he admitted that ML maybe wasn't exactly wrong. There was no cringey moment of his friend realizing his feelings for MC and started chasing him, then MC apologetically saying "I'm sorry, I'm in love with someone else" then lamented how the tables had turned. That whole routine. His friend also stuck to his decision of not coming out to his parents. It was understandable, unlike ML with his wealthy, supportive family, mc's friend only had his old parents and his job he got through his own efforts. He just couldn't afford going all the way like MC who had no father and had been left behind by his mother since childhood, and had a rich supportive boyfriend with nice parents.

i also like how mc's mother, who abandoned him, when asked by MC whether she regretted leaving him behind, she didn't hastily say "yes". She thought it over and honestly answered MC that no, she didn't regret it. MC at least deserved that much honesty.