abstract
| - It's a simple story: Boy Meets Girl; Girl Meets Boy; Boy And Girl Like Each Other. Other Boy Meets Girl; Girl Meets the Other Boy; Other Boy Likes Girl Too, But Girl Is Paying So Much Attention To Boy She Doesn't Even Notice Other Boy's Affections. Now take a deep breath if you read that out loud. Overuse of capital letters aside, this is Triang Relations #4: a character who has a crush on someone who's already engaged in (at least potential) Shipping with someone else, after all, All Love Is Unrequited. Distinct from the Romantic False Lead in that the latter will actually catch the Girl's attention and make Boy jealous and uncomfortable (forming a Love Triangle). The Hopeless Suitor thinks that his rival is a Romantic False Lead, when in reality there was no competition in the first place, the object of their affection simply doesn't notice them. The center of the love triangle will always think the Hopeless Suitor is just a friend. In rare, very rare occasions, through sheer determination as befitting a Dogged Nice Guy, they might win over the object of their affection. It very well might take years or decades, like a Victorious Childhood Friend. The key is that there isn't any hinting towards Unresolved Sexual Tension between them, the tension is all one sided for a very long time before feelings are reciprocated. Usually doesn't get as far as Stalker with a Crush, unless he's Wrong Genre Savvy enough to be a Prince Charming Wannabe. Compare Romantic Runner-Up. Can be caused by an Incompatible Orientation. Examples of Hopeless Suitor include:
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