Another romance request from me!

As usual: NO ecchi or hentai, kthx. 😀

Actually, no shounen either. 😛

This time, I'm looking for a romance manga where the protagonist has a love interest that is "the one that got away" - you know what I mean, that great love you always look back on and go: Damn, wouldn't it be nice if I had ended up that person? Said love interest "got away" a long time ago - either because they were simply not interested in the protagonist at that time, or ended up traveling far away for work/study, or were in love with someone else, or they were actually with the protagonist but broke up with them.

But NOW, for some reason, the one that got away is back - and is interested in a relationship. Yayz0rz! (Lol... That's if the protagonist is still interested in them!)

Any ideas?

Pls. note that I do NOT mean those romances where it's just childhood friends or neighbors from long ago meeting up again - I mean there must have been love at that time, at least from one person, but then the other one got away. Not just friendship... LOVE. And not between pre-pubescent kids who made snotty-nosed promises lol. The characters should at least have been in their teens when they first met, old enough to know what such feelings meant!

I can only think of BL examples right now, for some reason...

First Love (Sweet VS Home) - protagonist was brutally rejected a while ago, but the one that rejected him seems interested now?

Pure Heart (FUJIYAMA Hyouta) - a grown man is shocked to discover that his high school crush from many years ago is now interested in dating him.

The Sickness in Youth - another high school crush rediscovered. Not necessarily interested in a relationship upon being reunited, but... is eventually persuaded? Yeah.

Moar plz! Shoujo, josei or BL preferred; seinen considered. No shounen.

I think Strobe Edge might fit.

Sankyuu, Jozless!

maybe Sunadokei?

I don't really fancy shounen-ai / yaoi- so I haven't read these and don't really know whether they fit your description. The synopses sound about right so...

B Kyuu Gourmet Kurabu
Koi no Hanashi ga Shitai
Brilliant Blue
Itoko Doushi
Koi wo Mune ni
Makeinu no Nandemoya
Osewa Yakimasu
Hatsukoi no Yamai
Hatsukoi Yokochou

And yep- they're all BL. Why? 'cause I looked these up specifically to recommend to you (I love trying to find what people are looking for...it's so fun^^)- and it's easier to search for BL that fits your criteria than to look for 'the one that got away' stories involving straight romance, since there are so few shounen-ai compared to 'normal' love stories. (And nope, I don't read romance manga either lol)
-Once again, do keep in mind that I haven't read a single one of these manga, so you'd probably want to try them out first to check that they are what you're looking for.

Tramps Like Us

@calstine, you are either the sweetest thing on the planet, or... the sweetest thing on the planet. 😉 How truly NICE of you! I mean seriously, that's a rare quality of generosity these days, to go through all that effort in a genre you aren't even familiar with... <3 Thank you so much, sweetie. I really appreciate it! And to my own shock (since I'm supposed to be a Master of BL - I mean they should give me a postgraduate degree in it), I actually haven't read 4 of your recs! So extra appreciation from me!

Oh, and as for yaoi recs... I'd like to add Minase Masara's Lover's Position, Empty Heart, I Want To Protect You, False Compensation, Even More Gentle Than a Breath and Lies & Kisses (with an incestuous twist!). She practically specializes in "the one that got away," lol.

More BL of this type: Playboy Amour, Secretary and the Beast, Who's the Liar and The Guy Three Doors Down. 😃

Sure thing - glad to help any time. I've noticed that you search for such unique concepts in manga ; I can't help thinking of your 'I'm looking for' posts as very fun challenges; I love looking for new and interesting ideas in fiction, even if I'd never read them (for example, BL- it's always interesting to read the synopses even if I'd never dream of looking through the actual thing.) 🤣

And...thank you for the compliment, I guess? 😀

Sekaiichi Hatsukoi? It's by the same mangaka of Junjou Romantica. Pretty sure you've prob heard of it...