my guy best friend said something and I'm still not over it

so I have this guy friend who's like a brother to me and we're ALWAYS roasting each other because we're comfortable like that lmaooo. one day we're walking home together and we're doing our usual thing, calling each other ugly as a joke, "why are you even alive" energy, right. and he just keeps going. KEEPS GOING. and I'm getting actually mad at this point LMAO.

like okay he's objectively attractive (annoying but fine) so I'm standing there fuming and I just snap. "fine FINE you're handsome and everyone likes you so I guess I should be happy for you or whatever" or some bitter shit like that.

and this man looks me dead in the eye and goes "who said I care about other people liking me. I only need you to think I'm cool."

and I literally just. froze. then I started laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. we walked the rest of the way home holding hands while I was dying because what did he just say to me??? that was NOT supposed to happen during our roasting session???