even if one says

a question (implies a doubt about something) / a doubt or suspicion about whether something is real or true

to ask (implies a doubt about something) / to doubt or suspect that something might not be real or true

疑問: question; doubt

he / distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that / boyfriend

distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that, yon / particularly, male personal third person pronoun: he / by extension from he: boyfriend

he; boyfriend

(と〜) thinking that […] (with the next clause explaining that the truth is contrary to expectations)

to seem, to appear

continuative of the passive of 思う (omou); continuative of 思われる (omowareru)