#i:graphic

Yes, I will live silently as death. No, I will turn everything inside out. Try to guess. Which one?

they were quite the lame pair. they spent all their winters in a blue room traced with their icy blue fingertips. bundled up in blankets in all the colours that matched the blush on his nose. she never got to finish the sweater she promised him, because they were just a pair of puppy lovers who got so excited at the sight of knitting string, they’d pounce around till they were completely tangled up in each other. her frowns woven into his cheeky smiles. her button nose, a victim of his sneaky kisses. “i’m not leaving you alone until you say it right.”  “you know i can’t gurgle my throat around his na- ugh fine! Gogghhh away!” winter was their favourite season because it seemed to last all year. he swore he’d be her summer breeze and she promised she’d be every storm.

and you decided purple just wasn’t for you

she didn’t know what shade of brown that was, so she named it after his eyes. he was no expert on stars; so he named the brightest ones after her smile. they didn’t know what to call this explosion of flowers and butterflies in their stomachs, so they just blamed it on spring and continued counting the petals on each flower he’d put in her hair, taking in the scent of her hair, his adorable laugh, the blooms and each other.

{ countdown to #happyjieunday } // day 2 (insp.) —  Lee Jieun: a lovely flower; with delicate petals tinted with shades of unrequited love, optimism and perseverance. Quite like the corners of eyes and rosy cheeks. In the monsoon season, when the raindrops settle in and flow down her petals like human tears, this flower must be protected. The breeze that follows after (and smells magical), helps her regain strength. It hums a mellow tune, and her petals dance with the wind, to the beat of an orchestra that plays in dark grief. She blossoms on the darkest nights, when not even lovers can find stars to gaze at and all the dark demons ‘disappear’ into the blackness. She blooms again in the morning, in solitude and serenity; so she can laze through another afternoon, in peace and prosperity. No one is permitted to even see her let alone touch, though people come to catch a glimpse from all around. Yet they say she wasn't born with naturally tinted petals. Ah, yes she is the most beautiful flower. Lee Jieun.

{ countdown to #happyjieunday } // day 3  —  Through the scandals, debuting at the tender age of 15, and maturing into the music industry through her teenage years when we all experience raging hormones, mood swings, puberty and all kinds of emotional and physical changes; IU has always kept her image quite admirably sweet and innocent. And even though I found her past cutesy concepts and songs to be absolutely delightful, it always recurred to me in the back of my mind that she’s growing too. That Lee Jieun must have found it so difficult to grow like a normal teenager. Forget the stress and exhaustion of being an idol, Jieun was deemed the Nation’s Little Sister! And I could never say it enough but I am so, so proud of the beautiful woman she’s grown up to be. I’m so proud of her talent, her attitude, her humble chuckles after receiving praise, her diligence to keep improving.... and it goes on. To think she’s matured so gracefully in an industry so sexistly censored, I am in absolute awe and admiration for this girl. Slaaayyyy.

{ countdown to #happyjieunday } // day 4  —  Jieun is precious, she is adorable, she is infinite. She gives me hope, and hence life. She makes my heart happy, she makes my lungs feel light, my tummy churns comfortably with the warmth radiating from her sunny smiles. But not because Jieun is an enormous ball of sunshine exploding with happiness. Oh no. Jieun is so much more and so much less. She is a rose handed to a little one after all the thorns have been cut off; she is a dash of spice to bland cabbage soup; she is small, but she is big; she is the smell of earth after the rain; she is the letter ‘A’ and the letter ‘Z’ and all the letters in between; she is that lone star that glimmers among 3 other annoying satellites; Jieun is a child trapped in an adult’s body and the other way round. Jieun is as childish as she is applaudable. She sat in the nutshell and she broke it.

{ countdown to #happyjieunday } // day 5 —  Existing as all the stars in my sky, the apple of my eye, the lone truth among a million lies which gives me hope when all else dies... is Lee Jieun. She’s helped me dream, muse, smile, love and live. Because she’s always dreaming, musing, smiling, loving and living! For herself and us. Uaenas are so proud of you, Jieun, we never want you to change. We love you and we never want you to stop dreaming. We hope you sleep lots and have lots of lovely dreams; lovelier than all the flowers in the world!