rejection, still be friends like before? Options

[sprezzatura]

Whenever there is a guy friend liking me, and if I reject him, there is this sense of guilt in me that I couldn't do anything to him afterwards but to avoid him. I feel mean for doing so, is it possible to be friends like before? Everytime after rejection, I don't dare to look at him in my eye or else my guilt would be too overwhelming for me to reach out. He still reaches out, but I keep taking a step backward and I just intuitively be mean and blunt to him.

Any suggestions on how to reconcile after rejection?

[***Lucy**]

I think it's extremely difficult.
Put yourself in his place for a moment. If u liked your best friend you told him and he rejected you, wouldn't u feel sad? of course yes.
The thing is that afterwards it's difficult to remain friends because he'll be probably feeling so akward when he's with you and he knows that u know that he likes you.

So..I dunno..

But don't be mean with him, act nicely. The last thing he needs is you being mean towards him