He went from deep to one-word replies. Here's what to do

A one-word reply after real conversation is a downshift, not a typo. He's showing you he's either distracted, losing steam, or testing if you'll keep trying. Sometimes he's just busy. Sometimes he's talking to someone else and you're lower priority. Sometimes he got cold feet and doesn't know how to say it.

The depth of the earlier conversation matters here. If he was asking follow-up questions, sharing things about himself, or making plans, then suddenly he's giving "k" and "lol". That's a pattern change, not a blip. One-word replies after shallow chat is normal. One-word replies after he was engaged is information.

Your reply needs to reset the temperature without freezing him out. You want to send something that shows you still have your own thing going and aren't sitting around waiting for his words. This means keeping your message brief, warm, but not desperate. Don't ask a question that demands a response. Don't apologize or get smaller. Send something that stands alone.

The move is to give less, not more. If he was getting three sentences, give one or two. If he was getting a question, give a statement or observation instead. You're matching a lower intensity without copying his dryness. Then you create real time and space. Don't text him again for at least three to five days. Let him miss talking to you, or let the pattern become clear.

After you send your reset message, do not follow up. No double-texting, no "hey how's your day," nothing. Three to five days is long enough to know if he's actually busy or if he's losing interest.

If he comes back with real replies, you've gotten your answer. He was just in a weird headspace. If he stays dry or doesn't text at all, that's your answer too. At that point, you stop initiating. One more round of trying after the silence is the line. If he reaches out, you can reply. If he doesn't, you're done. Waiting longer than that just teaches him you'll stick around no matter what he gives you.