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# The science of turning a reconnection into a relationship **Two-thirds of romantic relationships begin as friendships**, according to a 2021 meta-analysis by Danu Stinson across 1,897 participants — making your friends-first approach not just viable, but statistically the most common path to romance. The challenge isn’t whether friendships can become relationships (they overwhelmingly do), but how to navigate the specific tension between building genuine closeness and maintaining romantic a