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

If only I could say I love youKERENMI & atarayo

KERENMI & Atarayo - If Only I Could Say I Love You (Music Video) Theme Song for the Film “Kokan Uso Nikki” (The Liar’s Exchange Diary)

This is a collaborative track by KERENMI and Atarayo that delicately weaves a portrait of hearts that can’t easily be honest.

It captures the subtle emotions of high school students exchanging diary entries with exquisite nuance, and the fusion of classic J-pop melodies with a nostalgic sound vividly depicts a coming-of-age unique to today, where analog and digital coexist.

Released digitally in July 2023, the song drew attention as the theme for the film “Kokan Uso Nikki” (The Exchange Diary of Lies).

It’s a must-listen for anyone who can relate to the flutter of falling in love for the first time, the feelings swelling inside, or those who want to convey their precious emotions to someone special.

A Little Love SongMONGOL800

MONGOL800 / A Small Love Song

It was a hugely popular, classic love song sung by a male vocalist back in my junior high school days.

It was also used as a drama insert song.

The lyrics straightforwardly express the desire to reach the girl he loves, and listening to it makes my heart flutter.

It’s the kind of song that makes you think, “I want someone to feel this way about me.”

A Song for a FriendSonar Pocket

Sonar Pocket 'A Song for a Friend' [MV Short]

This pop tune by Sonar Pocket vividly sings about memories from a youth spent with cherished friends.

Nostalgic scenes from student life are depicted with rich emotion, and the unshakable bond with friends who have gone their separate ways is strikingly portrayed.

Released in February 2009, the song is also included on the album “Sonapokeism ①: The Shape of Happiness,” and is often performed at graduation ceremonies and farewell parties.

It’s a heartwarming piece meant to be listened to while thinking of friends who now live far away.

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.

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.

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.

Love Songmosao.

Love Song / Mosawo [Music Video]

Like setting feelings of love on a musical staff, it carefully weaves cherished emotions with tenderness.

Released by Mosao in November 2023, this heartwarming love song portrays a straightforward confession of love.

Gently singing the feelings one wishes to convey through music, it beautifully captures the delicate emotions that waver with romance.

The desire to pour overflowing feelings into sound—feelings that the word “beloved” alone cannot contain—soaks into the heart along with the soft vocals.

Written and composed by the artist, with a striking brass arrangement, this piece will quietly encourage those who carry unspoken feelings of love.

It’s a song we especially recommend to anyone who holds thoughts for someone dear yet finds it hard to express them.