losing him (please read I need advice) (online best friend)

I'm losing my best friend/my crush. He's been my best friend for 4 years, and we've been getting closer until recently (his name is Christian) we've been incredibly distant, and on the 10th I asked another guy out, and the problem is I've been liking Christian a lot, and we always joke about getting together, and I always say that we should date, and at a time I was serious and told him that and he said, we couldn't it wasn't gonna work. So when I asked another guy out, I just wanted someone to love me, and Christian knew I was gonna ask, and when the guy said no, honestly I didn't really care as much, because later I found out what a dick he was but moving on, since then Christian and I got so distant, b/c of our time difference we made things work, but now he doesn't even text unless I text something. And yesterday I was really missing him so I texted him, and he texted an hour later which I was awake then so I texted him saying on how it feels like we're not even friends anymore and he said "(my name) we will always be best friend" and him knowing that I really really miss him is a good feeling we then texted for 2 hours. The thing is I want to ask Christian if he likes me back, because I'm in love with him, and something crazy is about the other guy/ other guys I can totally shut off my feelings for them, like they never existed and the guys I asked before was my best friend, but it's not the same b/c he's not Christian, no one can compare to him. So how do I ask him? OR should I ask him? Maybe when he said no he really meant it? But I love him and I hope he can say yes.