[It's a little more complicated than that, really. But he doesn't quite know how to explain it to someone where it would make sense.]
What this person classifies as 'friendship' between us is extremely tangled and messed up on my side. I've made my intentions clear from the very start that this will not be going the same way as it did last time. For both of our sakes.
They are the one asking for me to be back in their life. I'm the one willing to walk away and continue on as usual without them. Friendship may not be an option for me because I can't just be friends with this person at this point.