MC means main character
ML mean male lead the same way FL would mean female lead it man's the potential love interest
But if it’s something like this where it have a love triangle what the dark hair one consider a ml too
Yeah true true
If he was an option (which doesn't seems to be the case) it would make him Second Lead.
As they said if he was an option thst would make him an ml as well, but the second ml but more often the first ml is the endgame but I don't know here
What’s the difference between mc and ml genuinely asking