This sentence may appear in the novel, and its meaning depends on the context. Usually, this sentence meant that the other party thought that the other party was very gentle, but he felt that he was out of reach and could not really get close to or have the other party. This description is usually used to describe a situation where one has a crush on another because in this case, one may think that one cannot get the other person's tenderness and love, but at the same time, one likes the other person very much.