He paced around his apartment, practicing the speech he had written for himself.

'No, it's not a speech. It is more of a confession huh.' He told himself. He bit his lip trying to stop himself from smiling. Usually it would be ok to but not today.

Today he was actually going to test the strength of their strongest rule. And something greater.

-----

Hyomin hummed as she walked the stairs to his apartment. She would have usually taken the elevator up but the girls and her were on a new diet. And KKS ordered them to not slack off on it this time around. She sighed loudly as she got to the second floor. Two floors below his floor. 'Joon will enjoy hearing about this and might even make this seem bearable. Or he would tease me by eating chicken.' She thought to herself, smiling at their odd yet strong friendship.

Hyomin always enjoyed her time with Joon. They got each other so well. They both could let out their true thoughts on everything and not have to keep image. Not having to worry about the grapevine rumors or hate if what they said to each other be told to the world. They fully trusted the other on keeping what is said between them. Also how they easily accepted the other when they confessed to some less than favorable news. They welcomed the other to show their flaws. Hyomin smiled at Joon's last confession of purposely teasing fans with his good boy image, taking a certain amount of pride when people say he is their ideal type. 'So cocky.' She told herself shaking her head when she remembered how he to guess who he felt fit his ideal type. But she liked that side of him, the flaws, cockiness and kind heartedness that made him him. It was part of what made their friendship strong, the no judging the other's flaws. She was pleasently surprised it worked so well for so long. Hyomin even still held dear the day they actually devolped this friendship.

 Neither of their groups were really popular yet but it was during the filming of Dream Girls. Soyeon had decided that they get MBLAQ to help them on their internet shop project. When she first met Lee Joon months before they got along well but it wasn't til that day he became a valuble part of her life.

--

They had just walked in on a practing MBLAQ. Soyeon and Eunjung was easily talking with the members giving them a layout of what the girls were looking for. While she stood next to the wall , playing with the camcorder she was assigned to use during the show. "And zoom." Hyomin mumbled to herself, giggling at the site if a zoomed in version of herself. "What are you doing?" A male voice asked. She looked up and smiled at the male dancer. "Look." She said and turned the camera to him. Joon glanced at the camera's screen then looked away quickly. "It is zoomed in. On your. Um...chest." he whispered. She gave him a questioning look before realizition hit her. Hyomin blushed and tried her best to stammer an apology for her mistake.

"She really is like they said, a tease." One of the staff hands whispered a bit too loudly for Joon's liking. Joon glanced from Hyomin to the staff hand then back again. 'She must not have heard.' He figured, seeing as she was now explaining to him what she really meant to show him. Once he understood Hyomin gave him a small smile before walking away to join the others. 'I hope this scandal just end already' she thought to herself, Hyomin decided to stay close to her groupmates until shooting started. She noticed that the male staff hands would only make rude comments when she was alone. 'Just ignore them.' She told herself, proud of herself for faking deaf when the male staff member would cheaply ask 'What could they get for a pack' earilier and the incident that just accured. She was going to turn her attention back to the camcorder when she felt someone's eyes on her.

Hyomin locked eyes with Joon. 'What is he going to make a joke or ignore me now?' She wondered as she gave him a polite smile. When he turned away quickly she felt hurt by his action. She figured that he heard the rumor and wanted nothing more to do with her. When filming started again she was thankful to be behind camera, filming the others so no one could see her face. She knew she shouldn't have expected him to not listen to rumors, but he still should have heard her side. It bothered her that he was acting like he didn't blow her off, that they were still friends on film.

When the filming ended and they were packing to go she went back to 'her' wall to fiddle with the camcorder again. She liked discovering how different it was from her other cameras. "Puff puff." She heard the same staff hand from before whisper, this time not so softly, laughing at his own joke with whoever was near. "Yah, you shouldn't be rude to someone you don't even know. If Hyomin is ignoring you enough so you won't get fired for harassing her then you should respect her enough to stop pressing your luck." Joon said scolding the man, appearing from who knows where. "Not everyone on set is as forgiving as her." He finished giving a glare that could kill. The staff hand gave the two a guilty look before scurrying away, embarassed for getting caught in the act. "What? Why is he...I could have--" Hyomin started but stopped. Joon was now walking to her now, making her wonder why he still looked upset and why was it was now directed at her. "And you. You should--no need to tell someone when you are being hurt. Even if you think you can handle it." He said and cupped her face, "So rely on your friends more. Ok? I hate having to sit by and watch you get hurt." He finished and gave her a real smile.

--

Hyomin giggled again at how dense she was back then. She didn't know he purposely was standing away from the staff hand when she filmed him. She also didn't notice that he was being silly on camera to try to make her smile and feel at ease again. "But I am not so dense anymore. Now I know every side of you Lee Joon." She told herself. Since that day the two of them grew closer than ever. She vented to him about the workload and personnal worries. And he would sooth her and share his thoughts on the idol industry. How he made sure she avoided bad crowds. And the way he turns her awkwardly bad jokes into funny ones. It was a great friendship were they shared many similarites. Hyomin did feel guilty at times though, it always seemed she was receiving more aid from him than helping him. "I wonder what is our plan for tonight?" She wondered as she opened the door to his floor. Joon seemed different when he called her eariler that day.

Lee Joon let her in, not meeting her eyes when he greeted her. Hyomin wondered if something was wrong with him again, ready to question him but he hurried her to sit down. She sat down after taking his recent look in. He looked ok, deshelved a bit but not in a too worrysome state. "Joon?" She asked when he took the seat next to her. He was staring off into space and sighing for the last five minutes. "Minne, our friendship is stronger than anything right?" He asked her, not looking at her. Hyomin eyes followed his, trying to find out what he was seeing. "Of course it is. Stronger than steel. Or maybe rubber since steel isn't flexable like us." She answered slowly, still looking for what he was staring at. Joon smiled at the reply that seemed so like her.

He wanted to say so much. To tell her that she helped him so much over the years. Her nurturing ways that she forced on him when he didn't want her to see him at his weakest. The way she would stay up all night with him sometimes when his insomnia kicked in. Her easy to read personality that he adored as she hid nothing from him. The fact that when he needed someone she was there for him. The way she was just, her, Hyomin. 'I love her.' He thought to himself and reminded himself not to be risky. He didn't know if she would accpt his confession with the news he was going to share with her. Sure their friendship will survive it but he wants to go to uncharted territory. "Joon?" She asked making him slowly turn to stare at her.

She had a playful pout on her face, and asked what was he stairing at. 'She thought I was looking for something.' He smiled and cupped her cheek affectionatly. "Hyomin, I recently found out I am bipolar. And I wanted to tell you before the public." He told her, sighing deeply as he getting the part that worried him. He could see the wheels turned in her mind and saw her moves before she acted. Hyomin pulled the taller male into a hug, patting his back softly. "Dumb Joon. Don't think you can leave my side just because the doctors told you something. Obviously I won't stop being your friend over this. Sorry to break it to you." She said, pulling out of the hug and staring him straight in the eyes. 'Just like Hyomin.' He told himself, as she rambled about having to find information on his disease. She was like this as well when he told her about his other past medical issues. Always jumping into gathering information but panics when she has to put it to actual use. But somehow it all worked in her favor in the end. Overcomed with emotion Joon leaned towards her, his mind hasn't caught up with his body yet. It happened and ended before he realized what he done.

He had just kissed his friend. The hard work he did for the speech, the self peptalks and everything. All thrown out the window. Hyomin's face was dazed as she just looked at him, wanting to know why he did that. And asking him what should she do. "Joon, I-- I am...wow." she said, a faint blush was on her face. Joon wanted to smile at the fact all his hopes were coming true but a dark thought crept up on him. What if she was only being kind about this because she felt sorry for him. 'She is the kind who would put herself through things she hate to make the other party rest easier.' He thought to himself and pushed her away from so close. Joon softly held her shoulders as these thoughts kept coming to him.

Hyomin didn't say anything at this. She stayed still as he gripped her shoulders keeping her arms reach away. "Lee Joon." She said, breaking his thought and making him look at her. Slowly she cupped his left cheek, hoping he felt the same soothing effect she did when it was him. "Don't keep painful feelings to yourself. No matter how much you think you can handle it on your on. ok? So let me in." She said, giving him a small reasurring smile. Hearing his own words pointed at him effected him. Joon clenched his teeth, willing himself not to cry in front of her now. He decided it was worth a shot. "Hyomin, I want to be able to hold you. To get to say I am not just your friend but your other half. But..I don't want to guilt you into a relationship. I am sick Hyomin. And it's bad enough to know I will be looked down on by some people when news gets out." He started, gripping her shoulder tighter. "I just can't do that to you. I don't want to depend on you more than I already do. Have you secretly regret dating me. I love you too much for any of that." He finished. Hyomin felt tears run down her face as she listened.

"Lee Joon-ah." She said, quickly wiping her tears. "Firstly, I'm so happy to hear you say you depend on me for something. It makes me feel less guilty for venting so much to you, ya know?" she laughed at her attempt to ease the mood. "But if you really love me then you will let me claim you as my boyfriend. If you tell me again that you ever think I pity you I will beat you up." Hyomin finished and showed him her best attempt at looking fearsome. Joon smiled at her, mumbling that she is too frail looking to seem scary to anyone. "Yah, I am as strong as our friendship." She pouted as he pulled her into a hug. Joon nested his face into her next and gave a muffled sound of agreement.

"We are stronger together Joon-ah. So it is only right stay together as long as possible." She whispered. The two continued to hold each other, not wanting to break the moment. It wasn't out of fear though, they just wanted to keep the moment where their bond passed a difficult test. When they shifted from friends to lovers.