
Na Haesoo: anxiously worrying about Taeha and their relationship
Taeha: aware yet doing his own thing to make her do a move on him and only think about him, while he carefully get Minshit to realize how much he fucked up
That's basically it. He wants Haesoo's heart fast and he know he won't get it by being a good guy. At least not now. If you remember, Haesoo kept rejecting him and also said they should not take things seriously. Her thoughts right now are only hers, never expressed to Taeha. So he's intentionally playing the mind games and detouring for a shortcut. He wants Haesoo's attention on him, he wants her to not think about Minshit. He wants her jealous about him and acting on that. She just did the first step which was why he said that.
It should be very easy, we're reading the same manhwa.

No literally!!
Plus I don’t even think I’ve seen one scene where she inquires about his outside life.. only when the context is mentioned does she engage. It isn’t right but him pulling out of her shell little by little isn’t going anywhere and I think he sees that as his chance to make her realize her worth. Just is going about in roundabout way

You're totally correct. I think Haesoo is pulling us too much in her head that readers are forgetting that she never expressed her thoughts majority of the time. Which was why Taeha was glad she spoke about the perfume. She's been with a trash and living in a dumpster for 13 years, it will take more years to heal her. So he's just trying to secure her first for himself.
Readers also patronize Haesoo, she's not that dumb. She survived Minshit and Taeha can just be a side trip if she wanted. She has nothing to lose.
This is getting better and better. I was wrong thinking it would be a senseless smut. I love how I can feel how heart-sinking Sohyun feels dealing with her dickbag of an ex. I love how Sohyun and ML think about and go about each other. Love it!!!