MANILA — In what appeared to be a public unfolding of their deepening friendship, John Lloyd Cruz said he was no longer certain how to label his relationship with Bea Alonzo, his long-time onscreen partner.

A video call was streamed live on Alonzo's Instagram page on Monday night. The actress, who is in Metro Manila, invited Cruz, who is in Cebu, to join her "Kumustahan" stream with her followers.

What followed was an half-hour back-and-forth on the pandemic that saw a stark contrast between Alonzo's optimism and Cruz's pessimism — traits they both admitted to.

The conversation was not without light moments, however. Towards the end, the two exchanged memorable lines from their projects together, dating back to their tandem's launching series in 2002, "Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay."

A playful Cruz then dropped a line from a movie he starred in with a different leading lady, "A Very Special Love" with Sarah Geronimo.

The joke prompted a reaction from Alonzo, with Cruz teasing that perhaps she was the one who was "jealous."

Cruz then turned serious as he told Alonzo: "Nandoon ko noong nagmahal ako, nandoon ka noong nasaktan ako, nandoon ka noong wala akong matakbuhan, nandoon ka noong kailangan ko ng kaibigan, nandoon ko noong kailangan ko ng kausap."

"Pag binabalikan ko lahat ng 'yun, minsan hindi ko na alam kung ano pa tayo, eh. Kung sino tayo. Pero okay lang, kasi ang mahalaga 'yung nandoon ka. Iyon lang, sapat na 'yun," he said.

Alonzo, apparently confused, asked Cruz which movie of theirs those lines came from.

"Wala, gusto ko lang sabihin," he answered.

At that point, Alonzo turned reflective about the image they've shown to the public, and which parts of that are consistent with their real identities. Further, she asked whether they were truly aware of their true self.

"Itong kausap ko, sino 'yan? Si John Lloyd o 'yung totoong ikaw?" she asked Cruz.

He answered: "Sino nga ba 'yung totoong tayo? Meron bang ganun?"

Alonzo said their conversation reminded her of a line from Basha, her character in their iconic film "One More Chance."

Quoting the character, Alonzo said: "Now it all makes sense. Kahit na may nararamdaman akong mali, I chose to look away, I chose to keep quiet. Kasi ang sabi ko, ang nagmamahal, naniniwala, nagtitiwala."

When Cruz asked Alonzo whether those words came from Basha or from her, she responded: "Sabi ni Basha, pero sabi ko rin."

Cruz could only manage a giggle after what Alonzo said, and proceeded to get a guitar which he then played.

He sang "You Are My Sunshine."

Just as he finished performing, the call was interrupted by a knock on Cruz's door. It was from a companion carrying Elias, his one-year-old son with his former partner Ellen Adarna.

For the first time, Cruz introduced the boy on camera as he made Elias wave for Alonzo.

That was Cruz's cue to excuse himself from Alonzo's live video, saying it was time for him to put Elias to sleep.

Cruz, 36, and Alonzo, 32, have denied numerous times being involved romantically in real-life amid the enduring popularity of their "love team."

The two happen to be recently single, with Alonzo and Cruz separating, respectively, from Gerald Anderson and Adarna in 2019.