More Than Friends, Not Quite Lovers: A Collection of Love Songs About That Delicate In-Between

seesawtuki.

tuki. “Seesaw” Official Music Video

A bittersweet love song by tuki.

that overlays the delicate distance between two people in romance with the image of a seesaw.

It’s a track we hope those in relationships that aren’t progressing—and who feel that frustrating stagnation—will listen to.

When you’re struggling with the distance or mismatch in feelings between you and your partner, you’re sure to find moments that resonate.

The album “15,” releasing in January 2025 and featuring this song, is a collection of tracks she created up to the age of 15—be sure to check it out along with this track.

I miss youAdo

I Miss You by Ado

“Aitakute,” which was used as an insert song in the film Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Final, was released by Ado in 2021, a singer known for masterfully performing music across genres.

The song portrays someone trying to convey their honest feelings—overcoming a love where both sides care for each other but struggle to be straightforward.

Set to a warm band sound featuring acoustic guitar, her emotional vocals resonate throughout.

Listen to the pure passion of wanting to stay by a loved one’s side, in both joyful and difficult times.

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The distance between you and meInoue Sonoko

Sonoko Inoue Medley of songs I haven’t performed lately!!!!!

When it comes to songs that overflow with the desire to be even a little closer to the one you love, “Kimi to no Kyori” comes to mind.

Singer-songwriter Sonoko Inoue included it on her 2016 single “Natsukoi.” It portrays a pure figure who realizes her feelings for the person she likes but can’t quite bring herself to confess honestly.

Pay attention to her cute vocals that convey the gradually shrinking distance between the two.

It’s a song that makes your heart swell in the scene where she suppresses her pounding heartbeat to confess.

Be sure to listen to this bittersweet love song about two people with mutual crushes finally coming together.

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parallel linesEve × suis from Yorushika

Parallel Lines – Eve × suis from Yorushika MV

When it comes to songs that overflow with feelings for someone special with whom you shared joyful times, “Heikōsen” comes to mind.

Released in 2021 by Eve—active as a Vocaloid producer and singer-songwriter—and suis, the vocalist of Yorushika, it pairs a warm, everyday-tinged band sound with a story-like progression of bittersweet lyrics.

It portrays the moment you realize the importance of the person who was always by your side as if it were natural, capturing the stirrings of love.

The duet, which beautifully reflects the emotions of two people who feel the same way about each other, makes it a track that truly tugs at the heart.

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GarnetOku Hanako

Hanako Oku / Garnet (Solo Performance) [Music Video]

In July 2006, Hanako Oku released a work whose gentle, warm emotions resonate alongside its melody.

Written as the theme song for the feature-length animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, it was her fourth single.

The lyrics delicately portray scenes on the school grounds and the after-school atmosphere, wrapping cherished memories of school life—and the precious moments everyone wants to hold onto—gently and tenderly.

Created at the request of the film’s production team by reading the story from the storyboard and script, the song was completed to align closely with the protagonist’s feelings.

It spent 19 weeks on the Oricon charts and won the Heisei Anisong Grand Prize for Best Film Theme Song.

It’s a track I can wholeheartedly recommend for moments when you want to share memories with friends or dedicate a song to someone dear.

I stillmilet

milet “I still” Music Video (Theme song for the film ‘Unknown Girlfriend’)

A love story about two people enchanted by a magical, fleeting moment of romance—yet gripped by the fear it might vanish the next instant—unfolds alongside milet’s sultry vocals.

Set to be released in February 2025 as the theme song for the film “Shiranai Kanojo,” the track portrays, with dramatic flair, both the aching tenderness of two souls drawn to each other and the love that keeps deepening between them.

Carried by a dreamlike melody, milet’s uniquely expressive voice seeps into the heart.

While closely echoing the film’s narrative, the song also stands strong on its own, making it a perfect choice for those longing for a loved one or wishing to reaffirm a precious bond.

My dearest personMatsuri, Takumi

One I Loved / Matsuri, Takumi [Official Music Video]

A beautiful collaborative piece by Matsuri and Takumi that sings of poignant scenes and an unattainable love.

Accompanied by skillful piano melodies, it’s a pure love story-song that wistfully asks, “If only I could go back to the past,” and longs for a love that has been lost.

That day you met, the kindness you shared, the tears you shed—precious memories are depicted in a way that tightens the chest and sinks deeply into the listener’s heart.

Released in November 2023, this work offers solace to those whose relationship with someone they loved has ended and who still can’t make sense of their feelings.

It’s a song you’ll want to keep close for quiet nights alone, when you’re ready to face the pain of love.