Streaming series like Fleabag (for an older audience) famously rejected the romantic male lead in Season 2 to walk away towards a life of her own making. For younger girls, Turning Red showed Mei choosing her chaotic group of friends and her family over the perfect boy at the concert. These stories argue that a "happily ever after" doesn't require a plus-one. It requires wholeness.
This is the romance rooted in friendship. It respects the emotional maturity of the characters. The value here is patience and the realization that love is not just a spark, but a steady fire. It teaches that the best romantic partners are often those who know you first as a human being.