I remembered today's date and I instantly smiled... 161227 (China time :p)

5 years... really? Already? 

5 years since I've been blessed with the existence, not of an angel -because I'd sound delusional saying it- but of a special someone! I mean, he's been there for 23 years but it's been only 5 years since he was first introduced to the world. I do wish I had known him before but it's not a regret as long as I'm clinging to him and I've actually came to know him a lot better than many, people who only side-eyed him, people who believed he was good at nothing, people who criticized him, disapproved of him, people who only thought of him as a backup singer / rapper or an acrobat who was only good at flipping. 5 years believing in you. 5 years following someone who has been teaching me a lot, not that kind of lessons you learn at school, he is someone who would teach you about 'life' and make you love it.

5 years being a Hailang.

Needless to say, he has gone through a lot, since this same day, 5 years ago. Why? Because he was the one to draw attention the most with his high skill level. 7 months as a trainee, alone in a strange country, learning the language, learning how to dance, learning a bunch of new things, training alone until late hours every day, organized anti-ing as soon as he debuted, people hating him because of rumors who were always proven to be wrong, a company that never even tried to take actions against people spreading these lies, unspoken efforts, 0 promotions, rejected projects, speaking up for the whole band and ending up being the one everyone blames, several injuries, performing with a high fever, back injuries, having to use a wheelchair multiple times, standing on the stage with a poisoned foot, dancing right after a leg surgery, being sent to the same show 3 times in a row after getting hurt because of the same program, ending up with a torn ligament with bone pieces breaking and falling off, having to do VCR shooting and filming a whole MV while dancing with that same injured leg when the doctor said he shouldn't even move, and ofc ending up missing the best time for treatment... a company that maliciously sacrificed his image for the sake of the group's image, a company that used (and still uses) media play when he finally decided to speak up. And when he finally decided to stop, because he couldn't take it anymore, because he didn't want to lose his leg and his whole career with, they said he was a traitor.... and they kept clinging to a promise that w