<human>: Last Thursday, after getting to my local bus depot, I noticed a guy with an Attack on Titan backpack which he was using as his schoolbag. After fighting with myself over talking to this guy and forming a possible friendship with him over our similar interests, I finally got myself together and complimented his bag. This resulted in us talking to each other. 

Come Friday, we were speaking again. This time over his (really) not obvious Japanese heritage. I was interested in this guy but not romantically.  Now this is the point I actually asked the guy for his name.

Yesterday, I asked this guy for his number because he wanted to send some pictures of his cosplay to me to critique. I like to think of myself as a decent person and a good friend so I wanted to help.

The first thing he sent me after getting my number was a request to hang out. Of course I should have said no, but I didn't want to sound rude to this guy who would (after we established proper boundaries) be a good friend I can talk to about our shared interests.

I agreed to hang out with him this Saturday and today everything seemed okay, for the most part except for me getting worried by the prospect of him asking me out because I have went through the same cycle of pity dating several times and I knew how it starts.

When I got home an hour ago, I checked my phone and got this: 

>I don't know when you'll get this text but I've been rejected almost all my life with a limited amount friends and you have made me feel differently about life, and I have reevaluated all of my life decisions, and I see I lacked self control and someone who will respect me as I am, what I'm trying to ask is, CantIJustHaveAFriend would you like to go out with me? I probably know what your going to say but live and let young, I'll never know if never ask.

I was expecting this but I still don't know how to reject him and continue being friends with him.

Condense the text into a few key points
<bot>: A guy I only met a few days ago is asking me out over a long-winded text and I need to know how to let him down easy.