What does this mean???

Kayley
LONG STORY SO BRACE YOURSELF
Okay so my best guy friend, that yes, I have developed feelings for over the past year or so, and I went to college together this past year. It's a community college and he's a year ahead of me, so he is moving to a different college this year. We've spoken to each other and hung out throughout the summer, but because of work we haven't seen each other for a week or two. Yesterday I got a text from him (we haven't texted for a week either). The text said that he thought of me on his way to work that morning and he remembered a memory that we shared together. And we ended up texting for close to an hour. As much as I hate to say it, texting him that long rarely rarely ever happens. I could tell you the memory but it isn't really relevant right now. Now throughout the past year he and I have been "friendly flirting"-ish. This leads me to have mixed signals which totally sucks. I just don't know if it's safe to ask him if we could ever be anything more than flirtatious friends, or whether I should just not complicate things before he leaves. We do have an amazing friendship and I don't want to jeopardize that because of feelings that we may or may not share. Thank you for any advice! I'll post a pic below to give a perspective on how I kinda feel. 
We have been asked several times if we were dating, and told just as many times that we should. When we are together we just kind of shrug it off. I have a friend that has asked both he and I separately. I told her that it would have to be up to him if we dated; I told her I'd be willing to try it. I haven't really told anyone how I feel about him. She said he kind of said the same thing, like he wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. It's just so confusing and frustrating. 
Ps. Telling people how I feel hasn't ever been my strongest suit. 
Kudos to those who have cared enough to read through the end of my petty problem 😂 you guys rock.