"But this ramyun is different. It's a spicy BROTHLESS Ramyun. Cool, huh."

"I don't care if it's pizza flavored ramyun. I'm sick of noodles. Don't we at least have enough to go for jjigae?"

"Maybe after the next round of auditions. Just be patient, babe. There's always tomorrow"

There's always tomorrow. Minjun's motto. He always said it when the auditions didn't go well or one of them lost another food server job or there was nothing left to eat in the pantry. Always the eternal optimist. That's what Junho both loved and hated about him. He loved Minjun's never ending faith that they would make it. But sometimes he hated the byproducts of their shared dream of musical careers.

Currently living one step above poverty, Junho had thought a lot about getting a real job lately. Something full-time that could at least feed them properly. But full-time jobs didn't give you time off for last minute call backs and Minjun insisted that they always be ready. So they were always ready...and always starving.

After a particularly loud grumbling of his stomach, Junho was finally hungry enough to brooch the sensitive subject. Fingers twisting the hem of his tee, he looked everywhere but at the other man before speaking up, voice pitched high with nerves.

"Babe, I was thinking about getting another job. The diner has been cutting back my hours and I don't know if we'll make rent if things keep going like this."

Minjun lifted his eyes from the boiling teapot to focus on his boyfriend. Walking over to the other, he pulled Junho into a backhug, nestling his chin deep in the grove at the base of Junho's neck, lips grazing his ear.

"You know Park Studios is holding auditions next week. What if we make call backs?"

"But what if we don't? Then we will be starving, HOMELESS musicians. I'm not suggesting I get another part-time job. But I was reading about a clinical trial that is looking for paid applicants. It's three months but it pays my half of the rent during the trial and we can use my diner income to get some REAL food."

Junho the arms around his waist hoping it would lull Minjun into agreement. A quick squeeze and neck nuzzle later, Minjun agreed to at least entertain the possibility. Junho made sure to reward Minjun's open mind with a little of his own creative thinking later that evening.

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A week later at the Genocor Building

"Thank you all for agreeing to participant in Genocor's new clinical trial. For those of you that may have been a bit overwhelmed by some of the more formal terms in the paperwork, my colleague would like to give you a brief overview of the procedure, what our goal is, what your job is, and how important you are to the success of our project. Please give your undivided attention to Professor Ok."

"Thank you, Professor Kim. Gentlemen, as any of you that have participated in this sort of trial may know, we are paying well above standard rates to our subjects due to the nature of the work you will be performing for us. Genocor has recently developed a drug to assist with testosterone management in women that suffer from elevated levels of the hormone. These elevated levels often lead to unwanted hair growth, skin thickening, and even infertility. The drug we have been working on will serve as a hormone blocker, allowing women who suffer from this condition to no longer produce these large quantities of hormone and stop the testosterone from interfering with their bodies natural estrogen production. Now you may be wondering why we have a room full of men here. Because of your naturally high t-levels, you provide the perfect medium for testing our drug. However, since you don't produce the require amount of estrogen needed to complete our study, each of you will have a surgically implanted uterine graft that will replicate female estrogen levels, giving us the data we need to monitor the two while also looking for any signs of retarded hair growth, skin changes or other side effects. So please complete your paperwork and we will see you in the morning for your outpaient grafting procedure."

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"STOP IT. IT TICKLES. AHAHAHAH..."

Over and over, Minjun ran hands up and down the back of Junho's legs and the tops of his arms. It seemed like he just couldn't get enough of the yards of silken skin that lay under his fingers as he poked and prodded his lover. At first, Minjun was kind of peeved about the trial when doctors had forbidden any ual activity for the three weeks following the uterine graft, but Minjun had to admit that the weeks in between were anything but chaste.

The medication that Junho was taking seemed to be transforming the other. In the mornings, where Minjun was used to stubbly cheeks passing over his chest when they cuddle, Junho was almost baby soft. Curious about any other changes, Minjun explored the other from head to toe with hot hands and tongues that dipped into newly exaggerated curves of back and hips. It was like getting to know Junho's body all over again. When the ban had been lifted, Minjun's curiosity didn't waver an ounce and soon his favorite past time became skinship and more skinship.

"No, really, stop. We need to practice for the callback audition. Finally we are so close and all you want to do is play. Please, let's go over the song once again. There is a note that I keep hitting flat and I can't afford any mistakes tomorrow."

"Fine, fine. But tomorrow, when we KILL these auditions, I am not leaving our bed for two days."

Minjun gave Junho a breath stealing kiss before rising from the couch with a grunt.

"Don't hurt yourself there, old man." teased Junho to a grumpy Minjun. However, once the elder came back with the keyboard, the two immediately became strictly business as they pounded out the kinks in their performance. It was almost midnight when they finally managed to call it a night.

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Things changed a lot after their callback auditions with Park Studios. Now trainees, both boys were able to leave their part-time jobs, living off their housing stipend and devoting themselves to the arduous task of idol creation. It helped that music had been the only thing in the world either had cared about besides each other. Still, the first month was rough. Right after the audition, Junho was executing a lift in dance practice when the other trainee he was working with fell and landed harshly on his calf, breaking his fibula and requiring he take a complete 3-week convalesce and steroid regime before he could return to training. Chansung had been extra apologetic about the foul up, but the incident turned out to be a blessing as Junho used the time off to take more songwriting classes which served he and Minjun well during their special skills assessment.

Two years later, the pair found themselves debuting as a ballad duo. It was hard at first, both being a little older than most debut groups, but buzz in the industry was growing about their songwriting and arranging skills. When their label head managed to book them a debut stage with the country's most popular boy band, Hottest, expectations were high for the pair. All of this lead to a less than confident Lee Junho.

"Oh My Damn! I think I'm gonna be sick. Umphf~"

Leaned over the trash can in their dressing room, the boy was busy losing his lunch while Minjun rubbed up and down his spine.

"Junnie, don't stress so much. I know you're going to do great out there and you want to know why? Because you are the most dedicated artist I've ever known...outside of myself. Everything you've ever done, we've ever done, has been building up to this stage. You're prepared. Hell, you could do this in your sleep. And if you feel at a loss, just reach for me. We've gotten this far together. There's no way I'm letting you down now."

Junho wiped off his mouth before turning and curling into Minjun's embrace. The warmth of his lover, so close and steady, melted the nerves that had tensed his muscles, letting him focus on nothing outside of molding himself into the arms holding him close.

"Minjun. Promise me you'll stay with me. No matter what. Even if things go horrible tonight and no one likes our music. Just, please, don't let go of me."

Kissing Junho from his fevered brow down to the tip of his nose, Minjun finally settled a warm kiss on his lips, pouring comfort and affection into his touch.

"Never. I'll never let go of you. C'mon. Take my hand and let's get out there and show them our stuff."

The two rose and then hand and hand took the stage to the announcer's call.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome JunSoul."