The 7 real signs
1) They reach out with no excuse ('I missed you' and that's it). 2) They ask about your current life in detail. 3) They bring up specific good memories. 4) They want to see you in person, not just chat. 5) They own past mistakes without you bringing them up. 6) They keep consistent contact, not appear-and-disappear. 7) They treat you differently — more mature, less defensive.
The 4 fake signs
1) Liking your stories after months → boredom, not love. 2) Drunk texts at 2am → impulse, not decision. 3) Reappearing right after another breakup → they want comfort, not you. 4) 'I miss you' but never proposes anything → words without action.
The ultimate test
Someone who really wants to come back proposes something concrete (meet up, talk, try again). Someone who just wants to keep you as a backup throws loose emotions at you and waits for you to do the work. If you've been talking for weeks and nothing moves, they don't want you back — they want attention.
What to do now
Don't respond to signals — respond to actions. If they propose something, decide if YOU want it. If they only float emotions, reply short and live your life. Getting back together needs two decided people, not one hopeful person and one ambiguous one.