Is it really worth changing someone who you aren't interested romantically, on the small chance that he'd become totally different? If he does change, it doesn't seem fair to do it for anyone else, he should do it for himself, that would be better for his long term personal growth and it would avoid him saying to you "I did this for us to have a chance", and thus putting relationship expectations on you.
Saying rejection clearly and finally is the best approach to settle the matter, obviously gracefully, he has had the crush for awhile. If you feel you have to be more subtle about it for the sake of the project, you can assess better the context and effect it will have on him, though if you are clear both you and him can move onto different people more easily.
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