Am I (27f) wrong for trying to rekindle relationship with a guy (25M) | dated for 4 months?

Okay – the title sounds a bit psycho I’m aware but essentially last summer I (27F) met a man (25M) who was living in the US for the summer on a visa from Ireland. We connected instantly and basically from the moment we met, we spent almost every day together (outside of working) along with his whole friend group and my friend group. Me and my roommate even booked a trip to go see him and his friend group because we all got that close. Our lives were very integrated and it was not just a “summer hookup fling” thing. We both felt that we had real feelings for each other and expressed that, we spoke very deeply about our feelings and family traumas.. all that kind of stuff and he does not strike me as a guy that just wanted to have a summer thing in America and go back home.

When he had to go back to Ireland, we continued the relationship for another 2 months through text/facetimes. However, the time difference and just life ended up leaving both of us feeling a little bit distant from each other and he had plans to come back and live in the US on a longer visa, but nothing was really moving with that at the time and when I would ask, he never really seemed too pressed about getting even dates set in place. I talked to him about ending things for 2 reasons – the distance was a lot and not having anything set in stone on next steps was concerning, and I didn’t want him to have resentments or whatever that he couldn’t live his life (and also a touch of a fear of abandonment) with us being so far away and not being together that long.

Told him that is not what I wanted to do but what I felt was fair to both of us and he didn’t fight it. (I did not do it because I wanted him to fight for it but there just wasn’t any “we can work this out” or whatever on his end). The kicker here is that I still had the trip booked to Ireland and we decided we would be “friends” but then never really spoke leading up to the trip.

A couple months before the trip (and a couple months after the break up) I started really reflecting on who he was and some of what I did wrong and things I needed to heal from. I reached out to him and apologized and expressed my feelings and said I know it’s selfish but I would love to try again if we could. That’s when he told me he would be moving back to America in 3 months but that he thinks it’s best if we’re just friends. I respected it, even though it hurt, because he had every right to do that since I was the one who ended things to begin with and just kept my distance until the trip over there.

On the trip, we ended up really connecting, like all the feelings came back when we saw each other. We laughed a ton and hooked up and then laid in bed all day and both talked about how we had feelings still but that he still wanted to stand firm on his decision. I told him that I understand but I think what we have is more than that and if he needs time, that’s fine but he said he has feelings for me and I do not want to give up on this so easily if that’s the case. We spoke more about it and he talked about reasons he felt like we should just be friends but also said that he didn’t know what the future held and how he would feel when he gets to the States.

Since I left, he has been texting from morning to night and basically getting ready to come back. He’s picking houses by me to live when he comes, we’re making some plans, etc. but when I mention anything about trying again or even remotely hint towards something more than a friendship, he tells me he’s standing firm in his decision and that he doesn’t want me to get hurt?

Am I wrong for continuing to think something may be there? or should I take him at his word and just accept he only wants to be friends?

TL;DR: Summer love saying he only wants to be friends but giving mixed signals. Not sure if I should let it go or keep trying.