I think he got... Friendzoned... Well that's the life for ya

I don't think he got friendzoned so much as he actively friendzoned himself. He made this friend bed, and now he shall lie in it, alone~

There's this parallel to friendzone that is "let's start as friends", which is a total con, because friends can go out together, and in the yaoi-verse, help each other "relieve tension". (So far this story could be a shounen ai, so I'm sticking with euphemisms to self-censor.) It is a sneaky way to start dating and break down preconceived notions of their relationship status.