I'm glad Valerie's facing him and being honest and talking to him for once. She's not denying his feelings, but she also recognizes she isn't in any frame of mind to respond to them with anything other than a rejection. Yes, she's been running away her whole life. And this could also be seen as running away. But I see it more as a continuation of her realizing how closed off she is and how that can hurt the people around her, especially if they care about her. Really, she needs to learn how to trust better before she can really start any kind of romantic relationship. So, I hope that's where this story is going.
Also, I really want to see a Reincarnator / Transportee friendship with her and Serena, but Serena hasn't made a lot of appearances recently