Was this a big mistake?
I've almost always chosen to pick a male character ever since I started playing games, partly because deep down I've always wished to be born as a male. I never interacted much with others in games, not even in games with an alliance system. I just do my part. So naturally, when I downloaded this game, I gave my character a male name and styled it ""accordingly"". I've fallen in love with the game immediately, not really realizing just how much socialization is involved in it at the beginning. Even when I started getting friends requests (I usually don't make them but don't refuse them) I thought it would be just a casual thing, until I met someone (a girl, at least in the game) who was genuinely interested in making conversation and I made the (not very well thought) decision of not disclosing the truth about my gender.
We are pretty close now (as in, if we're both online we meet, talk, and do tasks or events together). Our convos have nothing to do with our genders, we talk about politics and society, studies, hobbies, the game itself, our favorite NPCs, etc. There's no romantic intent, we don't even talk about love life or preferences. I don't change my personality to seem more masculine, to the point that she might even think I'm a gay man, although I'm not that girly IRL. I've also had similar conversations with other people, some of which I explicitly said I am a man. Besides that, I don't lie about anything else, especially my age, and all my friends are all (allegedly) around the same age.
However, a sort of "incident" occured around a month ago. A female player, relatively new to the game, started hanging around me, exclusively asking me for advice since I had been playing much longer. Until one day she asked me to be her partner. I refused and distanced myself IMMEDIATELY. I haven't spoken nor seen her since, and have no intention to. I also told my close friend about it, and purposedly expressed my complete lack of interest in romance, she showed support and didn't change her attitude towards me, which I interpreted as a clear sign that she also sees our interactions as purely friendly.
Games, and especially this game, are safe spaces for me. I have no interest in romance both IRL and virtually, I never have and never will share my socials with people I've met online and I especially will never accept to meet IRL. I'm easily weirded out and have no problems distancing myself from people I get a weird vibe from, I'm an adult with a proper social life and responsibilities outside the game. I don't like drama and want everyone to enjoy the game in tranquility.
From 1 to 10, how sucky is it of me to play as a male despite being a woman IRL?