Most guys are scared to say if they feel something or not. My guy bff didn’t want to tell me he likes me or has feelings for me cause he thought he doesn’t have a chance as a boyfriend. I „pushed“ him a bit by starting to say oh do u have a crush? Who do u like? I’ve noticed ur new weird behavior, who is she?
At the same time I stopped talking about other boys (mainly cause I started liking him)
BASICALLY:
Most guys are scared, ur guy is afraid to lose u again and since u never talked about Ur past experience of being each other it is even more complicated for him to tell u that (if he ofc likes u more than a friend)
If u are friends like u told us, discuss the previous failure, u both will get over that and he may even open up.
If I were you I would make a secure „base foundation“ by telling him that u don’t think Ur past relationship was THAT bad, u were kids u both turned it into drama or smth like this. So he KNOWS oh so maybe it’s not that Bad and he still has big chances?
OVERALL
Don’t listen to people on the internet. Harvest opinions and make ur own by basing it off them
Wish u both sincerely luck 