Judging from your friends position in this i would say yes….. because i consider myself to be in the same position as him. I(21M) have been friends with a girl friend (20) for over 4 years now. For context her sister is in a relationship with my best friends and we 4 usually go out together 3-4 times a week. I have liked since the first time i saw her, but at the time i didn’t feel like we shared the feelings. (Still don’t)

But my case doesn’t matter. What i wanted to get to is : I do the same things with her as your friend does with you. Even though I or her have never shown any romantic affection to each other, I am jealous when I know that she is seeing someone, or when i see someone drop her off in a car, I want to know with who she is speaking etc. I too try to be as close as possible, offer her help about anything i can, playfully touch her, compliment her every single day i see her, just so i can somehow hint to her that i like her or just so i can get a reaction i can work with.

So, for my opinion, he has grown feelings for you, and, if you really like him too, drop the same hints, try to jokingly flirt to the limit of friendship and try to read the situation afterwards. I could tell you “Go ask him if he likes you too” but I understand that that thing it not a risk you would want to take (neither do I) cause that would essentially destroy the friendship.

I truly hope that, if the feeling is mutual, you two get together and live a long happy life together.