first gay friend

i kinda need advice. I'm a guy and there's this other guy in my school that proudly admitted that he's gay and the whole school knew about it. i had seen him a few times but i never talked to him before because i got nervous when im his radar (please don't attack me, this is really my first time seeing a gay guy in my whole life, im sorry) (im sorry again if yall misunderstand me and saying i treat him like an alien, no i have nothing against homosexuals)

so this year, we got into the same class and we got along. we talked a few times and we are now in a close/not close friendship. He called me his best friend but i never think of him that way because I was so awkward around him whenever we talked.

Here's what been bugging me. Recently (last week) he told me he really really liked me, out of sudden. And I was panicked/scared that I cahnged the topic and laughed it off. I felt bad afterwards and I think I felt uncomfortable, but that would make me sound like a homophobe but i promised you I'm not disgusted. I shouldn't be assuming that he meant something from it, but me knowing he's gay, it also could be, no?

If you have gay friends, can you give me some advices or smtg? Open my eyes if you see my wrong mindset in my case? And just in case, if he really likes me, how should. i handle it? Rejecting him by not using "we are both guys" because i. think that's sounds wrong?

please don't say "kiss kiss fall. in love" or "are u sure you aren't in love with him?" im STILL learning to respect lgbt community and im sorry that i was born not attracted to the same gender. I genuinely want to be a good friend for him so. please educate me.