"I guess I do," Kise said. "I didn't think I could. Not after everything Mihoshi-nee went through."

Kise's a lot of things; self-aware isn't always one of them, but he does know he's aloof to most people. Doesn't like people in general. He's tolerant of most, especially women, and he is capable of warming up to people. Aomine hitting him with a basketball opened him up to the idea of being able to crush on people. He had learned he could fall in love after meeting and knowing Kuroko.

He had other little crushes here and there, Kasamatsu and Akashi being the major ones, but he wasn't in love with Akashi. He was very fond of him, but it differed from how he felt for Kuroko in a way he couldn't put into words.