It's like he's testing him. The fact that he made that statement "he's different from the others...he's not afraid to say what's right and wrong." Is he trying to find someone to be a true partner and call him out when he's being a raging nut job?
In any case we've reached a plot point and we get to see character growth/decline from here on out.
This all stems down to the ML being an prideful moron. My theory is that he's liked MC ever since they first met or just a bit after and loves the adoration. His personality doesn't allow him to keep people he truly finds annoying around, so why would he keep MC around even if he were his brother's friend?
Yeah, there were times he got "engaged" but MC tells us that he never approached him with his absurd requests when ML was "engaged" and what happens? ML is no longer engaged, well would you look at that.
MC and everyone around them have understandle reactions bc of how ML has acted in the past. But ML 's pride is never going to let him confess first when he's spent the better part of 10 years playing hard-to-get with MC.








You're just as insane as Guwon, please try to channel that energy you had when you went to stab him while asleep in the beginning chapters and show them who's the queen on the town!