and since it's all being narrated in past tense still and Ilwoo says he now came to regret...

and since it's all being narrated in past tense still and Ilwoo says he now came to regret not telling Baekhee everything out of fear that he would hate him...I think that means in the present point they are truly apart from each other (as many theorized ) and the present point isn't that far away from the currently running past point ╥﹏╥