Guy friend keeps flirting and hinting over the years, but won't explain why when asked directly?

Anonymous
What the question says. We're college friends, we've drifted apart over the years - but when we do text - he sometimes says he loves me, random love quotes and calls me sexy.
The latest is when he said him getting married depends on me. When I asked why, he says he's just joking around. He always says something like this and says he's joking. When I ask him to explain the random stuff, he says we'll talk about it later and then never explains himself. I'm getting tired of all this. I've ignored him before but he keeps coming back.
Updates
+1 y
I talked to him and he says he wasn't flirting and talked really well with me. When I asked why he still calls me, he said because we go way back. I feel like a fool now for thinking the flirting had some intention behind it.
Guy friend keeps flirting and hinting over the years, but won't explain why when asked directly?
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