At first, after resetting their story and going back to the beginning when the MC was first rescued, the ML doesn't realize that the MC remembers their past. The MC deliberately ignores him and the ML keeps trying to chase after him. Later, after the ML realizes, he convinces the MC to meet with him and talk and forces him into a kiss.

the ML was also in love with the MC even early on in their first life, but believed that the MC was another actor/transmigrator trying to disrupt the plot. He killed the MC believing that it would send him out of the novel world so that he wouldn't have to wait and suffer through the plot. In the mean time, he tries to complete the storyline and score as high as possible so that he can gain more abilities and protect the MC back in the actor/transmigrator world as soon as they meet up again. He's devastated when he figures out his mistake and realizes that the MC was genuinely a book character.

Some may dislike the way he nonconsensually sleeps in the same bed as the MC when he thinks the MC isn't aware, and the way he forces a kiss on the MC, but the MC feels more annoyed than threatened or anything else. I think in another book with a different tone, he would've seemed a lot more scummy and unforgivable but to me, it just came across as pitiful.

His blood can heal people, make plants grow faster, and help people grow stronger. This is a result of the entity that controls all the novel worlds pouring some of its consciousness into the MC to allow his world to develop more freely. The MC uses this ability to grow nice crops, make money, and sell medicinal pills.

As I mentioned, the MC doesn't ever forgive the ML in his second life. Later, they meet again in another novel and the ML has amnesia and has forgotten their past together. However, he's still inexplicably drawn to the MC. They are able to start again on a fresh page without guilt clouding the ML's actions. After this book's plot is completed, they meet again in the actor/transmigrator world where both of them have full memories of the past again.

He does change his life but idling away was the biggest part of it.

There were multiple rebirths in the story. Not just the MC but ML and some people who were close to MC were also sent back with their memories intact.

It was interesting to see that it revolves around a novel, a system and actors but the setting of this story was somewhat refreshing. And they don't get back together until the very end

yeah, MC didn't accept all the explanation the ML gave him. You now, it's okay at first live, the ML misunderstood the MC it's like him, a player but actually the MC is just a data. But after that ML doing so much to MC didn't even twitch. You know is kinda frustrating, the ML already paid so much like shoot with arrow etc and gave the MC a power to be player so MC didn't disappear but MC just like I want to talk to ML. But obviously ML is gone (actually the world consciousness helped ML) and he still stuck to that.

Actually the MC didn't let go of the past, he still had the shadow in his heart and he can't overcome it.[

1. A common trope involving romance (s) where (at least) one very devoted/loving party (Party A) is significantly undervalued/treated poorly by the other person or people (Party B) in the romantic entanglement. This typically results Party A leaving/dying/moving on; on the other hand, Party B realizes their feelings and consequences of their actions--resulting in a desperate chase for Party A.

2. Tl;dr Second Chance Trope--specifically after terrible treatment of at least one party within the romance]

**Note: This trope can and often occur with harem/reverse-harem novels, but rarely do they ever commit to multiple partners.

in which, after many years and worlds apart, they finally rest the wrongs of the past to live comfortably and happily ever after. I will say this is the one of most realistic emotional progressions I've seen from an MC in a "wife chasing crematorium" novel. I know second chances are really difficult to give IRL, and MC does indeed take his time to work up the courage to try again with the ML. Considering the level of pain and suffering in his first life, MC was well within the rights to give this novel a BE, but through mutual growth and nothing but time on their hands, they finally connect properly. In the meantime though, ML has been patient and willing to wait, changing from a cold systematic actor to simply someone who loves MC beyond life itself.

The scene I'm talking about is when he tricked MC in to a dark courtyard and hugged him. One of his attendant described him as a snake coiling around his target never letting go, implying a much darker nature than he ended up having.