Search Results: starting a conversation with a girl

Just to keep the story shortm, im going to bullet point everything.

Met online, talked for nearly a year
We liked each other, but i wanted commitment and he "didnt know what he wanted"
Stopped talking, no contact at all for like 6-months or so
He breaks ice by messaging me on my birthday
And then subsequently slowly starting to message me abit more (I was a little cold at first)
Then i started responding a bit more, thought if nothing else we can be friends i guess (Cause we got on so well)
Been talking again for about 2-months now, and were back to our usual selves (Flirting like crazy, we both definitely have the hots for eachother)

I still have feelings for him, and it seems like he does for me too, but im too afraid to ask him why he's back and what he actually wants. (Dont want to get hurt again, but equally still like him lots)
Best thing this time is that he started talking to me, and he is initiating mojority of the conversations, and seems to be doing the chasing this time
He compliments me a lot, he does bug me a lot too as in a lot of banter, but i give as good as i get, thats why we get on so well

My theory: Why would he come back to the same girl who he knows has feelings for him if he didn't want anything more. Do you think the 6-months or so have made him think about us and made him miss me?

So a question to all the lads out there, if a girl told you she had feelings for you and you freaked out and dissappeared, why would you be back?

we have only talked once and that was because of our mutual friend. Our conversation was quite short. After that during these 4,5 years we have come across in public like 15 times and he always looks straight at my eyes or face. I'm like what the hell he still remembers me. He only knows my first name nothing else. One time he came to talk to my friend while I was with her (he knows her) and asked how she was doing etc. To me he said hi but nothing else. I'm starting to think that this guy maybe is shy but like come on for the past 4,5 years he hasn't done anything to get to know me :S and he has courage to talk to my friend but not me. Also whats up with the staring thing I thought shy guys can't look in the eyes the girl they're crushing on.

by the way he is soo obvious when he looks at me, so its not just my imagination haha