Is it be fair to date someone even if they like you more than you like them?

The details:


I have a good friend who I鈥檝e known for 3 years and spent a lot of time with for the first year of our friendship. About 1.5 years ago he told me he really liked me and asked me whether I wanted to be 鈥榤ore than friends鈥? I didn鈥檛 want a bf at the time and I told him so. He said that was fine. We鈥檝e kept in touch over msn but I was advised not to go out with him unless I wanted to go further so I haven鈥檛 been.


Lately he鈥檚 been asking me out (to go to a movie/get an ice cream). I鈥檇 like to start dating again but I鈥檓 not sure whether it would be fair to date him. The problem is that he鈥檚 24 and I鈥檓 19. I think he鈥檚 looking for a long term relationship and I鈥檓 not sure I鈥檓 ready for that. As bad as it sounds I wouldn鈥檛 mind doing a bit more 鈥榳indow shopping鈥?before settling down.


Perhaps I鈥檓 blowing the whole thing out of proportion but if I鈥檓 not then I want to be pre-decided so I don鈥檛 make a stupid rash decision. Also I鈥檓 not really sure whether I like him romantically, sometimes I think I do and sometimes I鈥檓 not sure. I wouldn鈥檛 mind being his gf even though I鈥檓 not crazy about him because I know some really great relationships start like that, but I would never forgive myself if I ended up breaking his heart. So would it be fair to date him even if he likes me more than I like him and I鈥檓 not sure whether I can give him what he wants? Sometimes I鈥檓 convinced I should forget the whole thing but if I do then there鈥檚 another problem. He deserves to know. How do I tell him without making it awkward? And how could I date other people if he鈥檚 been waiting for me for the last 2 years?Is it be fair to date someone even if they like you more than you like them?
Make it clear that you are not looking for a relationship, and you will be dating other people. If he still wants to go out with you after you have told him this, then it is his problem if he doesn't like it, you cannot be accused of leading him on as you were honest about it.





In my personal experience, if a guy is looking for a serious relationship, he will not want to casually date someone who is definitely not interested in anything more.