sounds a bit like the Agony Aunt's perennial "How do I let him/her down? Gently or honestly?"

Letting a wannabe 'suitor' down gently can result in telling white lies (like "I'm just not ready for a relationship right now." or "I really don't want to damage our friendship, it's too important to me.") that result in instilling false hope and inciting more dogged attempts to overcome 'the barriers between you', for those who refuse to hear the implied "No, I don't fancy you at all and never will!"