Yeah to me it was that he was manipulative and vague about his feelings and the relationship with MC. Lies are still manipulation. He had a choice not to listen to MC's mother, even after that he had a choice to come clean to MC. To begin with, the fact that he agreed to do that to MC when he was 14 is vey messed up, especially because MC was isolated at the time and ML became the only person he trusted. Even then, he never really felt guilty towards MC. He later was only anxious about MC finding out, because he started to have feelings for him. Did you read the whole novel? Because I’m the beginning ML really does seem fine, but later his shady personality is revealed.
I had mixed feelings about the ML when I started reading the novel but the more I get into the plot the harder it is to give justification to his actions. You simply cannot just call them as "white lies" when you take into consideration his choice to take for granted the trust the MC had in him and how he doesn't seem to feel guilty about it.
but dohyun didn’t even have a choice?? wooyeon’s mum is his benefactor and he literally owes his whole life to her, she paid for his entire education and family - and she asks him to tutor her son, how could he refuse? and the entire time he tutored wooyeon he genuinely cared about his well being and felt sorry and guilty for the fact that he had to hide that he was working for his mum (even though that’s literally out of his control)? not to mention, he quit and went to the army because he didn’t feel his relationship with wooyeon was appropriate and didn’t even develop any feelings for him until YEARS after? you’re making it sound like he did some extremely bad/abusive thing when he quite literally just reacted as if any other normal person would in such an awkward/strange situation. i don’t understand what dohyun did so wrong that he needs to grovel in guilt and regret? he quite literally just tutored him and hid that he’s an alpha, he’s not great at communicating but that doesn’t mean he’s abusive or manipulative? he’s never had ulterior intentions? he never used wooyeon for anything bad or to benefit himself? like sure he seems more complicated than he did in s1 (because he’s the main character now and actually has depth!) but i think it’s ridiculous to only want angelic characters who can do no wrong .
I love MC, he is cute, pretty and pleasant all around! On the other hand ML s definitely a red flag, this is not some kind of lovey dovey story like Omega Complex. We know ML had his reasons, however everybody has their reasons. It doesn’t excuse bad behavior towards other people.