He likes Mello just fine. But trust is another matter, and the idea that they could be friends has never been something he's seriously entertained. Friendship is a borderline alien concept to Near. The words sound nice on the surface, but they are not anything Mello would say with any sincerity behind them. Nothing happening has done anything to assuage Near's feeling that this situation is not normal.

"What happened to your face?"

None of the magic he's taught can heal or hide the scar.