Advice needed – not sure if we are friends or more?

I (20/F) have been talking to this guy (22/M) for about a month now and we became mates. We met in a shared class at Uni after we were partnered up together for a project. Since then we have texted each other pretty regularly and video chatted a few times. I am unsure where I stand with him though as I seem to get mixed signals. At times, he and I will have an easy-flowing text conversation back and forth. He compliments me a lot, uses a lot of emojis, and sometimes says cheeky remarks. I am unsure if he is flirting with me or if I am reading too far into our interactions? Can anyone explain how they know for sure that someone is flirting with them through text? But then there are also times where he does not respond to my text message for a few days and just seems distant. He did confess to me that he is going through a hard time right now, so that could be a part of the reasoning behind his actions. I am a bit concerned for him, but since we recently became friends I don’t wish to overstep my boundaries or come off as a hindrance.

Due to his mixed signals, I just don’t know how to act towards him. How do I know if he thinks of me as a friend or more? Is there a sure fire way to know either way (without asking him because I do not feel comfortable doing that right now). It’s hard to judge behavior when the only interaction we have towards each other is online (because of the virus).

Thank you for your input.