Nope it just started with him looking after him as his mom asked. But the feelings he has for him is not related. He genuinely likes him. However ml loved someone else before he saw mc in that way. And when mc was in love with him before his presentation, ml was having his heart broken by someone else. However I think both mc and ml think small lies isn't a bad thing if it makes the other happy or they can avoid talking about their past. Mc don't want to talk about a lot, as you see he holds back in every conversation mostly because he is shy and don't want to ruin it.
ml don't want to talk about his mom being the reason he was watching over him or that he did not see him as a love interest back then.

Dude I’m freaking out I knew that the ml was a little shady but I thought he still really liked the mc… was I reading with my eyes closed cuz eveyones talking about the ml not actually liking the mc correctly, I need spoilers like stat like is he just fooling around because he’s bored or feeling down or is he just interested Ted in the mc and thought why not ???? Let me knowww and I hope there’s a chasing arc when the mc relisezs this??