Ignoring the problem
If it’s something unimportant, starting with small talk can be a way to ease into the conversation. However, if it’s significant, trivial chatter is wasted effectively. Consequently, when the person says, “Are you free later? We need to talk,” it sounds like this relationship might end soon.
The response they received was strange. By drastically changing the conversation in order to sidestep the question, this individual demonstrated an avoidance technique but not a very responsible one.