Haven't read neither so my bad is nit what you meant, is a 1vol manga
https://www.mangago.me/read-manga/cure_blood/
https://www.mangago.me/read-manga/i_will_be_waiting_for_you_in_1999/
This one is a shonen ai, so definitely no porn but i rmr the first one making me cry. It’s wholesome but definitely a melancholy vibe. Childhood friends, pinning, angst. It was great!
https://www.mangago.me/read-manga/reunion/
This one isn’t like sad sad, but the romance and storyline is definitely a heart string puller bc of all it took for them to get their happy ending. Super great, with some emotional moments fs but not all over sad.
i have some shounen ai recs since you don't want any smut (๑•ㅂ•)و✧ (list: https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/3445940/)
recs:
the specific heat capacity of love
banana fish
cinema next door
little mushroom
duan mu ye
ogus' law
truth or dare
a shoulder to cry on
no. 6
the polaris
happy together

does anyone have recs for sad bl? not exactly on the torture porn side like the 10 years i loved u, but more of a bittersweet story like our youth/minority. i just really enjoy bls w melancholy vibes! just no love triangles....