First of all a spoiler alert...

There are many games out there in which the male protagonist and his female sidekick become a couple and live happily ever after. Like Crono and Marle (Chrono Trigger), Alex and Luna, Nash and Mia, Kyle and Jessica (All Lunar 1), Maxim & Selan (Lufia 2).... There are also some of these duos where they will definitely NOT get each other. Like Cloud & Aerith (FF7), Yuna & Tidus (unless you count the good ending of FFX2) and a few more. And quite a load of times we see many man woman-duos who don't even fall in love at all, like Maya & Grubb (Septerra Core), Justin & Sue (Grandia), Crono & Lucca (Chrono Trigger).

Now I already made a list of the latter situation, I should make a list of lovers who certainly don't get each other, and a list of lovers who did get each other. In this list I'm gonna talk about lovers of whom it is very very vague. The story line hints loads of time about a possible romance, that or the fans think they've seen several hints like that, but in the end you never know, and the game therefore leaves room to start thinking.

Ryu & Nina - Breath of Fire

Now the story line of the first Breath of Fire Game is very vague and not really showing much character development. Also the game never makes a real clear position about any kind of romance at all, at least not between these two. The reason I still listed them is a scene in Breath of Fire II, where BOF2 Nina meets the spirit of BOF1 Nina, who tells she fell in love with a man who was not a member of the Fae tribe and weakened the ability to transform into a bird due to mixture of blood from two tribes. Most of the fans believe this "man of another tribe" has to be Ryu (who is of course a member of the Brood).

Ryu & Nina - Breath of Fire II

The illustration above implies a romance, but is a fan art, and no official art, so who can tell, eh? We do see Nina not making any move to Ryu at all. However in the bad ending of the game, where Ryu sacrifices himself to keep the door to Deathevan closed for once and for all, it seems that Nina will completely freak out (if you had her in your party during the final boss fight), and this would imply a possible romantic interest from her side. Who knows.... In the good ending it's even harder to tell.

Ryu & Nina - Breath of Fire III

If would almost seem this is a Ryu & Nina list, eh? Breath of Fire III is the first installment though in which a possible romance between Ryu and Nina is more likely than before. The two meet each other as kids, most likely around 6 or 7 years old. If you think kids can't fall in love, well then you are wrong, it's just that they are not yet sexually "ripe" that kids do not experience it the same as adults do. Many hints from both Ryu's side as Nina's side are shown here. Ryu attacking Sunder when he threatens Nina, Ryu using his dragon powers to save Nina's life when she rather jumps off a mountain (knowing she would die) than to fall into Sunder's hands again, but also Nina being upset when Garr reveals that Ryu is fated to die. Once adults we can see this even more as a few sexual hints are then also given. If you have Nina in your group when meeting Deis all naked and Ryu therefore constantly being red-faced, Nina will ask why Ryu has such a "goofy look" on his face, Nina is also most passionate about making it clear that Ryu is not a bad dragon, and most of all when Elder Jono requests her to kiss him she asks Ryu's permission. However we never see the two actually becoming a couple, although nobody can imagine they won't be....

Ryu & Nina - Breath of Fire IV

Well, this is the last time I'll pick a Ryu & Nina from a Breath of Fire installment and I'll also pick some other series... Promise.

Here we can also see clearly how Ryu and Nina appear to be falling in love with each other, but also how it never comes to a relationship. Of course, since Ryu is a god (or Endless to be more precise) and Nina a mortal girl, the love seems impossible from the start, but since Ryu will become a mortal at the end of the story, that issue will be taken out of the way. This version of Nina is by far more shy and naive as her counterparts in the earlier installments and therefore also more embarrassed about the entire idea of being in a relationship with a man at all. Yet when the going gets though Nina comes to Ryu's defense, but also vice versa. When Ryu's dragon power gets out of control because of the very despicable behavior for Captain Rasso, Nina literally throws herself onto him, and only that seems to pacify his berserk powers. Nina's landing on to op Ryu in a rather... "suggestive" pose when she falls out of a tree, also gives some clearance here.

But Ershin's remark tops it all: "Ershin says the dragon (refers to Ryu) is under Nina's thumb. There's nothing to worry about", causing Nina to be embarrassed and a general who understood the hint to burst into laughter. Never before in the BOF series was such a clear statement about a possible romance given.

Rudy & Cecilia & Jane & Mariel - Wild Arms I (and Alter Code F)

Well Rudy has a luxury problem... Three good looking chicks who have the hots for him. Now in the original game, Jane's feelings are clear, and Cecilia's feelings more vague and when it comes to Mariel it's hard to say anything about this. In the remake Alter Code F there are more hints from all three ladies. Of course in both games it's Cecilia who breaks open the seal of Raftina the Guardian of Love, when Rudy's life in peril. For Mariel Rudy might simply be one of the first guys to be really nice to her since she went into exile over a sin of her brother's. Jane is actually actively seeking Rudy's attention and is also the one of the three girls who is most upset when Rudy's status as a humunculus (incorrectly translated as a "holmcross") and therefore being a kind of android is revealed. In Wild Arms 5 in which all heroes from earlier games are hidden as cameos, there is a side quest in which the players can collect love letters from all three girls and decide which of the three letters to deliver to Rudy. Now Jane's letter will lead to the best reward (best weapon for Rebecca), so perhaps this may show the developers had Jane in mind to become Rudy's actual girl-friend?

Virginia & Jet - Wild ARMs 3

No man-woman duo that is more awkward to imagine as a love couple than these two. They say opposites attract, and opposites these two are. They couldn't be any more different, I tell ya. Virginia being the naive girl full of enthusiasm, and Jet being a non-nonsense guy who doesn't give a crap about anything. Yet many fans speculated the two may actually be in love with each other.

Well in a certain sense they are a kind of brother and sister, but not in actual blood-line. Where Virginia is actually born the natural way, Jet is actually an artificial human being created in a laboratory. However since it was Werner Maxwell, Virginia's father who raised Jet and taught him how to survive in the wastelands, they have in a certain way the same father. Werner was also one of the scientists who created Jet.

Now we see it quite often that a man and a woman are constantly showing hostility to each other while they are deep down in love with each other. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter franchise are a perfect example of that, and I've been told a story about how my aunt was constantly speaking very extremely negatively about a guy she met during her studies, and really everything she said was kinda vile and rude and well not something you should repeat her, and you guessed it, that guy is my uncle now, and the father of her children. Jet and Virginia could be placed in this category.

A few things do happen that many fans consider hints though:

• When Virginia is about to get crushed under a collapsing building it's Jet who saves her life endangering his own in the process.

• When Virginia is poisoned by Leehalt (Richard in the Japanese version) it's Jet who catches her. Also when Virginia tries to jump out of her bed, it's Jet who asks "Are you crazy? Do you know what state you are in?" showing some kind of concern towards her.

• Concern could also be the reason why Jet scolds Werner for neglecting his responsibilities as a father towards Virginia.

• At the end of the game, where all party members think they are meeting their doom, Virginia will when she's surprised they actually made it out alive, against all the odds, it's Jet she hugs as a sign of emotional vent.

We never know though if the two really are in love with each other, let alone if they'll actually engage in a relationship. This might be one of vaguest couples on this list.

Dean & Rebecca & Avril

Another guy who has two girls falling in love with him. Rebecca and Avril are in love with Dean. Rebecca does a poor job hiding it, and Avril doesn't even try to hide it, but does not really seem to know when to bring it up, and also doesn't want to hurt Rebecca, whom she regards as a very close friend. Although all characters do know that the two girls are falling in love with Dean, Dean himself seems to be completely ignorant. It's clear that he's sexually not yet mature enough to return the girl's affections, other than giving them friendship.

Now Avril's final fate make things even more obscure. Yet despite all that she keeps at Dean's and Rebecca's side as a friend and both still regard her as such. Since Dean never comes to the point that he actually develops romantic feelings, also the ending of the story leaves him and the two girls with so many questions that the topic of romance appears to have become insignificant, at least during the epilogue story. It's therefore impossible to tell what will happen when Dean does begin to sexually mature, as that does not mean he'll fall in love with these two girls automatically. Although some sings Dean does appear to show, does make it likely though....

Laharl & Flonne - Disgaea

Now these two are even crazier than the Virginia & Jet combo, but then again, Disgaea was supposed to top all levels of insanity anyway, so why not romance as well, eh?

Laharl is an evil-wannabe overlord, and Flonne is an Angel trainee obsessed with love. Laharl picks on Flonne all the time in the most insulting ways imaginable, but it's s clear from the start he's merely doing a poor job hiding his true feelings for her. Flonne being obsessed with love in general in all aspects of that word (so including but not limited to romantic kind of love) does not directly make any statements that imply her trying to get Laharl as a boy-friend, but she does hint clearly many times, she likes him, and even shows moments of being charmed whenever Laharl completely fails hiding his true feelings for Flonne. Laharl's willingness to sacrifice his life for Flonne's sake at the end of Disgaea I (and if he actually does, depends on the ending you got) confirms he really has the hots for her... Although Flonne will remain at Laharl's Fortress as a Fallen Angel in nearly all endings, and we see her back in nearly all later installments, it's never fully clear if the two officially became a couple. I guess Laharl will always deny it, though....

Vahn & Mei - The legend of Legaia

This is a bit of an awkward one, and maybe also the one hinting most to that they will engage in a relationship (depending on the ending), but that is merely because in one of the ending Vahn will end up traveling the world with Mei. However the fact that you travel with a member of the opposite sex, no matter how much they are in love with you, does not automatically make them your actual romance partner, since Vahn's feelings towards Mei are never clear. This because he never says one word being the mute protagonist. Now unlike Ryu who actually comes to Nina's aid when she's in danger in both BOF3 and BOF4, we never see Vahn doing this, nor does the situation in which Vahn has to pull off any heroics in Mei's favor in general. Mei's feelings are absolutely clear though, and even evidenced by her response when Nene (Vahn's little siter) asks Mei directly if she's falling in love with Vahn or not. Problem is also that Mei is not a playable character, and her screen time is rather short, and that gives the player not really a chance to see things develop on this department.

Now the game also makes a few hint about the only female playable character, Noa, having feelings towards Vahn, but since she's only 12 years old and just too young to really understand love in general (also being a feral child) it's not really clear if Noa is falling in love, or if it's just her immaturity and the fact that she never learner proper manners that make this implication. Would if the game maker's intended it make another guy with multiple girls falling for him... I haven't yet seen this the other way around... Hmmm?

Now one that does not really belong in this list, but I should mention this anyway, as that is a rather strange situation.

Valvatorez & Artina & Fuka & Fenrich

When it comes to the romance, it perfectly clear that Valvatorez(center) and Artina(most right) are in love with each other. Although it's not fully clear if the two actually become a couple or not, so that makes it part of this list. The reason I mentioned Fuka(2nd from the right) and Fenrich(3rd from the left), is because it's clear from the start Fuka is in love with Valvatorez as well, however as she already knows the love for Artina is too deep she accepts that it's not meant to be. Fenrich, who is extremely devoted to Valvatorez and even downright threatening to everybody else, comes to a point in which Fuka openly questions Fenrich's sexuality, and actually starts to believe Fenrich is gay and in love with Valvatorez. And although Fuka is not the cleverest girl I've ever seen in fictional works, some things happen that even makes me think she has a point, and that would mean that Disgaea 4 actually features homosexuality (which I would only applaud, if that were true), even though the romance was never meant to be. Fenrich's attitude towards Artina already hints strongly to that. He is disrespectful to all people, but he seems to loathe Artina most of all. The official reason is that Artina is the reason that Valvatorez refuses to drink blood, losing his power as a tyrant demon, falling to Hades in the process, but over the course of the story, his attitude rather show hints of jealousy. When Fuka, a kind of half-prinny, is in danger, and Valvatorez decides to save her, because it's his duty as a Prinny Instructor, it does appear to charm her, prompting Fenrich to impress that Valvatorez is only doing this out of professional reasons and that she really shouldn't get any ideas. Some of Fenrich's comeback remarks are really the kind of remarks a person in love who is merely jealous would make. This means that Valvatorez has two women and one man falling for him. Only in Valvatorez case it's very clear that who the one to whom he returns the affection is (Artina, without a doubt), but hints about Fuka and Fenrich feeling similar things towards Valvatorez are definitely given.