That's what I think too, that he loves her, but the problem here is that Mitsuhide made up his mind to never marry and made an oath, a knight's oath, which are supposedly unbreakable, of not marrying. The idiot! The only solution I see it's Zen getting involved since he's the one Mitsuhide serves. (￣ε(#￣)Σ
Still, what a shitty way to turn someone down if you actually DO love them! He's speaking as if he doesn't, like be a little tactful about it, jfc Mitsuhide（￣へ￣）It seems really insensitive!
Completely agree with you there (︶︿︶)＝凸 he really is insensitive just because he knows her and prefers to be brutally honest. Honesty can be quite hurtful when one is tactless *sigh* thank goodness for Kiki's character.
Or maybe he's just not in love with Kiki and it sucks to be forced in a relationship with someone you like as a friend only. Also Kiki and Mitsuhide are long time friends and comrades, he can talk like this to her because he knows she won't get offended by it and let it be.
That's what I'm saying, though. Just also noting that there have been very different stuff in the past that tells otherwise.
It confuses me, though. He is talking as if he DON'T hold romantic feelings for her and only see their relationship as purely platonic. But I could swear I remember Mitsuhide being deeply jealous multiple times.