LI already in love with Mc Vs Falling in love during the route
- Thread starter Hisami
- Start date
- Jan 1, 2026
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both are the best but i lean a little bit more to the LI already in love. i like seeing him trying to cover up his feelings and being a yearner throughout most of the route. although sometimes it annoys me when hes being pretty obvious but the mc doesnt see it and just chalks it up to friendly behaviour. its also nice because even in other routes they still slightly show their feelings for the mc and may even act on them if the LI of that route isnt treating the mc right. sad to see him get rejected but nice to see the fight between the LI's for the mcs affection
- Dec 15, 2024
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As much as I love the childhood friend trope, I definitely enjoy a well-written story of a slow burn where the LI realizes his feelings for the MC. There's just a different tension in the story there that's a very different flavor from the yearning and pining of childhood friends
- Nov 4, 2013
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- Mar 19, 2021
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I kind of enjoy, when a LI already has the hots for the MC prior to the start of the story. Their romance then does not rely solely on the "suspension bridge effect" (not that I wouldn't enjoy that too). If there's a childhood friend route, I usually do it first.
- Feb 24, 2026
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For me, it's more satisfying to watch the MC and the love interest fall for each other over time than to start with a scenario where one of them already has feelings. I think that only really works in a comedy-focused title, like Cupid Parasite. Otherwise, it actually kind of annoys me and makes me put that route off until last lol. I remember finding the constant pursuit of the protagonist by Kazama in Hakuoki and Tomomori in Birushana really eye-roll-worthy. Like, hold on a second—you haven't even taken them out for dango stall or gotten to know them properly yet; slow down! Let's actually get to know each other first! (Just for the record, I like both of them, but that "stalker-ish" pursuit style is a big no for me lol—if I were Chizuru or Shanao, I'd run far, far away from them XD)
- Mar 14, 2015
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Well both are good, but give the length of the story is limited, if the "before love" part takes too long the rest of the story is kind of "rush" and sometime even goes into FD. Although many people don't like it, I prefer they fall in love ASAP 
, or they have one or more FDs to make up the "sweet part" of the main story~
, or they have one or more FDs to make up the "sweet part" of the main story~
- Feb 27, 2026
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Im such a sucker for already in love trope! Especially the heartache I get when I find out that the LI has secretly been in love with MC for a long time. It usually makes me yearn for the LI's route even more!
Like I recently have been playing Tengoku Struggle that has this type of LI. I can't wait to get to his route!! I also gush over moments with him in other routes hehe
Like I recently have been playing Tengoku Struggle that has this type of LI. I can't wait to get to his route!! I also gush over moments with him in other routes hehe
- Jun 23, 2025
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If the LI already has feelings for the heroine from the very beginning of the game,
and they're childhood friends or longtime friends,
I'd want their interactions to have a really appealing sense of humor,
along with an atmosphere of trust and unspoken understanding between them.
I'd also want the game to really delve into the LI's state of mind regarding the heroine.
I find that kind of writing much more compelling.
Because if the relationship relies solely on the fact that they've known each other for many years,
without really exploring how his love for her develops and changes over time,
it just feels too hollow and uninteresting to me...
and they're childhood friends or longtime friends,
I'd want their interactions to have a really appealing sense of humor,
along with an atmosphere of trust and unspoken understanding between them.
I'd also want the game to really delve into the LI's state of mind regarding the heroine.
I find that kind of writing much more compelling.
Because if the relationship relies solely on the fact that they've known each other for many years,
without really exploring how his love for her develops and changes over time,
it just feels too hollow and uninteresting to me...
eevee09
New member
- Sep 1, 2026
- 10
- 7
Personally, I am a complete sucker for the LIs that fall for you later during the game. The yearning that comes with those routes are just top-tier! Especially from LIs who you think are too cold to fall for you completely, but end up becoming the biggest lover by the end <3
However, I would like to raise another option: LIs who have loved you from the start, but only realize it during the game. So like a mix of both. There is one LI that I know of that does this, and I found it so satisfying when he finally saw the love he'd amassed beyond the loyalty he had for MC. It really adds an extra layer of enjoyment for that purpose!
However, I would like to raise another option: LIs who have loved you from the start, but only realize it during the game. So like a mix of both. There is one LI that I know of that does this, and I found it so satisfying when he finally saw the love he'd amassed beyond the loyalty he had for MC. It really adds an extra layer of enjoyment for that purpose!
- Jan 18, 2015
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If the LI is already in love with the character they need to be obsessed or else I like falling in love slowly lol
- Feb 2, 2026
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Definitely falling in love during the route for me x) I think I just love the buildup way too much (´꒳`)♡
When the LI is already in love from the start, I feel like I'm missing out on one of my favorite parts: actually watching them fall for the MC. I love wondering what it was that changed their feelings, when they started seeing the MC differently, what little moments made them get attached, etc. My brain is constantly going "wait... was this the moment??" (⊙_⊙;)
I also really like when it's gradual and you can actually feel the transition happening. They start off just getting along or being curious about each other, then little by little the MC becomes someone special to them, and eventually they're like "oh... I actually have feelings for her." That whole progression is so much more interesting to me than starting the route with the LI already being in love °
It's not that I don't like yearning LIs, because I absolutely do lol, but I think I prefer getting to watch the feelings develop. I just really love that tension of not knowing exactly when or how they're going to fall for each other (//ω//)
So yeah, give me the LI slowly realizing they're falling for the MC over an LI who's already in love with her from the beginning any day ~
When the LI is already in love from the start, I feel like I'm missing out on one of my favorite parts: actually watching them fall for the MC. I love wondering what it was that changed their feelings, when they started seeing the MC differently, what little moments made them get attached, etc. My brain is constantly going "wait... was this the moment??" (⊙_⊙;)
I also really like when it's gradual and you can actually feel the transition happening. They start off just getting along or being curious about each other, then little by little the MC becomes someone special to them, and eventually they're like "oh... I actually have feelings for her." That whole progression is so much more interesting to me than starting the route with the LI already being in love °
It's not that I don't like yearning LIs, because I absolutely do lol, but I think I prefer getting to watch the feelings develop. I just really love that tension of not knowing exactly when or how they're going to fall for each other (//ω//)
So yeah, give me the LI slowly realizing they're falling for the MC over an LI who's already in love with her from the beginning any day ~
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