Conversation after B saved A, A bought some drinks
A: それじゃ、助けてもらった礼にならない。
well, this is totally not gratitude for saving me (= i will do more to thank you?)
B: べつに、お礼して欲しくて、助けた訳じゃないし。
it's not like I want to you show gratitude, i didn't really save you
a long while later after A and B part ways, A reflects on the entire experience. A did not do anything special for B in particular while they were together, they just talked about their interests.
ちっともお礼にならなかったが、数年ぶりに女の子と話せて俺も色々と勉強になった。
(My interaction with B/her) did not show gratitude at all, but ...
I am confused because normally you would want to show 礼 after being saved,but the speaker is "denying 礼" , so that this my roundabout interpretation but it is probably incorrect.
After reading these:
よく色々と億劫にならないな。- It's amazing how he doesn't get annoyed at all that
提出に遅れた場合は減点にならない - In the event (case) of a late submission there will not be a point deduction.
I feel like i don't have a grasp of the distinction between ~にならない as the negative of ~になる and the ~にならない used in things like 話にならない, 洒落にならない, 問題にならない.
So when i read 礼にならない, i am not sure what is actually being implied until i read B's reply.
Even then, "助けてもらった礼にならない" and "ちっともお礼にならなかったが" still feels very awkward for me.
Thank you for any clarifications