How do you know it's competely over with your ex? Is he waiting around?

I’ve been away overseas when my ex boyfriend started to message me and ask how I was and what I was up to… He’s admitted he was wrong about not returning my best friend’s guitar countless times when we asked him to, he stated he had been really stuck at the moment with other things… At the moment it’s the perfect opportunity, I’m away, we don’t have to confront eachother if thats what he wanted… but he still hasn’t returned it to her…
I also told him I had some of his belongings to give back to him that I could get my friend/roommate to give to him or I could return them when I come back and he replied no problem…. during the conversation he made jokes and sent me smiley faces, acting really friendly…
Is he waiting for me to come back? Does he want to talk to me?