LIVING LIFE FOR THE BOTH OF US - JONGHYUN

Story #3 - Your Bling Blingers, your Shawols

Come again? Ha ha ha. You mischievous you! No, I didn't drool when I saw you shirtless. Who would do that? That's so embarrassing! (I used to, though 😁😁😁)

Just now? NO! I DIDN'T! Wait! Lift up your shirt, let me see again. NOOOOOooooooo???????

Alright! Alright! You look awfully sexy without a shirt on. But I didn't drool just now. Honest the goodness!

Yet, I bet a bunch of your bling blingers are wiping their mouths with a shirt sleeve or shirt front right now. How would I know? Geez! They post it all over web. Everyday, my boy! Don't believe me? Take a look, then!

Like I said, some amazing lovers you've got here. Oh no!!!! They are THE fans! The FAITHFUL FANS, dude. I am far, far, far behind them on the list of devotion to you. But you must have known that already!

They have cried oceans since the day you left. Their loving tears were absorbed in tons of tissues, handkerchieves, shirts, and soil, in hundreds of nations. Some probably ran into the drains with the shower or sink water. Some might be hidden in the swimming pools or at the beach. Probably on the airplanes and ships as well. I bet they all evaporated, became oxygen and hydrogen molecules, rose up and reached you wherever you are. Confirm if you caught a few of them in you heavenly breaths. Yah? Good! I am glad.

It's been 8 months. They are all going at it, I reckon. Yeah, at life, I meant. But they must be missing you terribly. Your voice, your songs, and your smiles had lifted them through their sad moments and further elevated them in their happy times. But you left. So of course they feel down. You must have known that you were their inspiration, their muse, and, what do they call it again? ah, their bias. So, you figure! They loved you, dude. They still do. And they forever will.

Nah, don't worry. Just look at them lovingly. Yes! With that winky smile! YOUR eyes are THEIR weak spots. Trust me on this.

Then, I will help you convey your words.

"My dearest Bling Blingers, my beloved Shawols,

Have you been well?

Is life treating you with stimulating challenges? With love and respect?

I do hope that all is well for you and that you are safe and sound.

I love you and miss you.

Please forgive me for my sudden departure. I won't try to give any excuse for it. I failed you and I am profoundly sorry. Will you forgive me? Pretty please!

You may not know this, but you were the strength, the motivation, and the love that helped carry me through my years of struggling. I am thankful for your love and support, before and now.

I really wish I could turn time around so I could put on many more great stages for you. I know you love seeing me. I know your love is unconditional. Hence, I know you would grant me my most earnest request.

Please help me be nice to the people I love: my mother, my sister, my four SHINee, my other family and friends, and YOU. YOU--the reason I could be the artist that I was.

I need to know that you live well, live earnestly, live beautifully.

As you already know through my publicized experience, material richness is not everything in life. Hardship comes in all shapes and forms.

So if you are facing a life with material shortage and are struggling to make ends meet, please do not be afraid to reach out to others for help. We have public agencies and non-profit organizations all over the world. Please utilize these resources. Live diligently and honestly. Work, learn, and advance! And once you get to a more comfortable position, give back by helping those who are less fortunate than you.

If you are facing emotional hardships, be it the loss of your beloved, the heartache, the stress, or our detested devil--depression, please regain your composure and calmly think of an entity where you can seek appropriate assistance. Reach out to your dear friends, your family members, your neighbors, your co-workers, your teachers, your psychiatrists, public agencies, or even a good samaritan on the street. Tell them you need help. Be thankful and be receptive of the help, for you can always return the favors by helping others in the future.

If you are facing a physical hardship, fighting an illness or an injury, please be resilient. Use the help from your family and friends, doctors and nurses, neighbors and co-workers during your difficult journey. Again, don't worry about burdening them, they treasure and value you. Hence, your well-being is more important. Don't take advantage of them, though. When you can be independent, be independent! They can take a nice break once in a while, you know.

Please don't give up on life like I unwillingly did. I wish I knew then, that our life is beautiful and is worth-fighting for.

We have seen refugees risking their lives in search for safety and freedom. If you have such safety and freedom, please treasure it. Don't give up for any reason. Please also embrace these refugees. They have lived through both physical and mental hardships. They need you!

We have seen people fight illnesses with all their might to be able to live, just one more day, just one more week, just one more month. The will power to remain alive in those individuals is so admirable. I wish I had known then, so that I would continue to fight through my dark hours. After all, I had a healthy body. So, please! Don't ever, ever, ever harm yourself! Find your life purposes through other people. If you can't find the reason to live for yourself just yet, live for other people in the meantime. You can volunteer to care for the sick, be the mentors for orphans, serve meals at temples and churches. Live for your children, your parents, your siblings, your friends, your lovers. Live and fight through it! Live for me as well!

So, please help me! Live with fervent zeal, motivation, enthusiasm, conviction, patience, generosity, love, and compassion. Live with appreciation for life. Life can be so short just by itself. So, don't make the same mistake that I did. Don't leave before your natural time.

Do something fun each day, each week, each month. Do something special on your birthday, to be reminded that life is precious. Even though there are new births every second, even though wanted and unwanted conceptions occur every day, it really is not so easy to create and raise a person, like you. It's also not that easy to live to be the person, like you. So, help me safely explore the end of the Earth! There are still so many places I wish I could have been to. Live through your 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and above. Then let me know how you feel at each stage. It must be very interesting!

On my birthday and memorial day, please do not cry and do not be by yourself. Play me a song, just any of YOUR favorite. Then fondly talk about me. I will be so grateful. You can also tell me about the new artists that you like, let me know if I am still your No. 1 vocalist.

Help me, will you? Promise me and keep your promise! So, I can stay here and watch you with contentment, not with regrets. Please live well. Please live, for the both of us!

I am grateful to you and I cherish you.

Yours,

Forever."