More Than Friends, Not Quite Lovers: A Collection of Love Songs About That Delicate In-Between
“We’re closer than just ordinary friends, but we’re not lovers either…” Have you ever experienced that in-between relationship—more than friends, less than lovers?
If you both care for each other but just haven’t expressed your feelings yet, it might be a happy relationship.
But sometimes it can also be an unhealthy situation that just drags on without direction.
In this article, we’ll introduce a collection of songs that capture the complexity of that more-than-friends, not-quite-lovers dynamic.
You’re sure to find stories that mirror your own experiences and songs that resonate and move your heart.
Be sure to read the lyrics and listen while taking in each song’s story.
- [Mutual Crush Song] Stuck before confession, not quite lovers!? A love song capturing wavering emotions
- A song about friendship between men and women. A collection of friendship songs celebrating irreplaceable bonds.
- Songs that depict a teasing, suggestive attitude | Love songs to listen to when you're in unrequited love or a painful relationship
- [Love Songs] Say Goodbye to Uncertain Feelings! Love Songs to Listen to When You’re Not Sure If You Like Someone
- [Unattainable Love] A love song about two people who feel the same way but can’t be together
- [To Those in Love] Relatable Love Songs to Listen to When You’re Crushing Hard
- Bittersweet love songs to listen to when the person you like already has a girlfriend or boyfriend
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- Songs About Age-Gap Love: A Curated Selection of Exquisite Love Songs
- [Empathetic & Tear-Jerking] A love song about an unrequited romance
- A love song that sings about messy, muddled feelings
- [For You in Love] A Love Song Perfect for Unrequited Feelings
- An empathy song to listen to when you’re hurting and feel like a 'convenient woman'
More Than Friends, Not Quite Lovers: A Collection of Love Songs About Delicate Relationships (11–20)
Leading someone on is a serious offense!arekunn
This song depicts the heartache of an unrequited crush tossed around by someone’s teasing behavior, all through a comedic lens.
Its lyrics capture a racing heartbeat, affection for the other person, and mounting frustration, resonating deeply with listeners.
Showcasing Are-kun’s unique expressive style, the track gained buzz after its September 2023 release, especially on social media, with numerous TikTok videos using parts of the song.
It’s recommended for anyone troubled by a crush’s mixed signals or feeling the frustration of unrequited love.
The relatable lyrics will encourage and uplift you.
Winter Giftmosao.
Singer-songwriter Mosawo, who gained attention after posting self-accompanied performance videos on TikTok.
His 2020 release “Fuyu no Present” (Winter’s Present) is a song that portrays a couple on a date on a cold winter day.
Accompanied by beautiful strings and piano, the message conveys feelings for a loved one.
Watching the two, who are in love with each other, gradually grow closer is truly moving.
The story ends with their wish coming true and the two becoming a couple—a happy love song.
mutual unrequited loveDXTEEN
It’s a heart-tickling youth love song packed with the sweet, bittersweet flutter of the moment when love begins to move.
Released in September 2025 as DXTEEN’s 6th single, the track portrays that delicate distance between two people who like each other but can’t quite take the next step.
It also drew attention as the theme song for the drama “I Joined a Group I’m Not Close With on the School Trip.” The initial rush of romance and the thrill of feeling the gap slowly close with someone you like are vividly expressed through the members’ fresh, breezy vocals.
Give it a listen when you want to move your relationship forward.
Being a little short is just right.YUTORI-SEDAI
The lyrics, which sweetly and wistfully portray a girl’s feelings of love, leave a strong impression.
YUTORI-SEDAI’s songs are love ballads that stand by those experiencing unrequited love.
Their unique take on romance—“love that’s a little lacking is just right”—has resonated with many.
Released in October 2023, the track became a viral hit on TikTok, and the music video featuring popular dating-show cast members also drew attention.
It’s an energetic song you’ll want to listen to while thinking of the person you like.
If you’re struggling with love, why not listen to this song and find some courage?
loveback number
Anyone who has experienced unrequited love can painfully relate to the feeling of wanting to beg God, “Please let me be with that person!” This is a song by back number that pours out overflowing feelings for someone you love—someone you’ll probably no longer be able to see after graduation.
Fans have voiced strong support for the track, saying things like, “My head is completely filled with thoughts of the person I like,” and “I wish I were the one they think of when they hear this song.” Just thinking “I need to tell them how I feel” won’t get the message across.
Listen to this song, gather your courage, and go to your senpai!
Try loving—it’s not like you’ll lose anything.neguse.
This is a song by Neguse that portrays the aching feelings of a woman in love.
Although loving someone doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll get hurt, it conveys the hesitation that keeps her from taking that first step.
The lyrics vividly depict the heart of someone in love, with striking lines about wanting to fall asleep next to the person and the anticipation of a kiss.
Released in April 2023, the song drew attention as a follow-up to “Good na Ongaku wo,” which became a big hit on TikTok.
A music video was also produced, presented as a drama that depicts the everyday life of a man and a woman.
It’s a track that anyone struggling with love—not just those with unrequited feelings—should listen to.
More Than Friends, Not Quite Lovers: A Collection of Love Songs About Delicate Relationships (21–30)
Me too,YUTORI-SEDAI
A ballad that poignantly portrays an unrequited love, set to the aching timbre of a piano.
Upon learning that their crush is dating a close friend, the protagonist carefully weaves their feelings as they have no choice but to give up while keeping their emotions hidden.
The more they think about the person they love, the more the pain intensifies—an experience many share as a bittersweet memory that lingers in the heart.
Included on YUTORI-SEDAI’s major first EP “blanket,” released in April 2025, this song was also chosen as the ending theme for MBS’s Drama Tokku series “I’m Being Toyed With by a Younger Virgin.” It’s a track that gently accompanies the hearts of those in one-sided love, where simply thinking of someone makes your chest tighten.