Responses
I mean, it kinda makes sense that he'd be a little distrusting of Ilya's feelings. This is because he truly believes nothing is really changing in the story plot. The paths may be different but the outcomes are the same so if he thinks being with Ilya will still result in the destined outcome, he's inherently going to try to deny his (Ilya) feelings. And also because, I think he views the people around him as sort of puppets of the system of sorts as this is a novel.
That's what I think.
Ngl I knew mc was gonna pull sm like this they always do I thought he realized the system doesn't control their emotions to the degree he thinks it does when he came to terms with his relationship with his family but ik that he was gonna pull this "it's the system/story line" stuff with the ML so frustrating I wish we get an mc who doesn't ponder on this so much but every mc I've seen up till now has done this at some point