I spent a day in Seoul,

changing from bus to subway,

following directions

toward Entrance 2 of Line 2.

Then my eyes fell on

a small street garden

beneath a forty‑story tower of glass.

A single white lily smiled at me.

Out of season—

late June, early summer—

yet there she stood.

“Are you passing by as well?”

she asked.

Of course I was.

“So am I.

We all are, aren’t we?

I’ll be gone next week,

unnoticed by anyone—

except you.”

Why me?

“Because you saw me.

You’ll never forget me.

I’m in you now,

and you in me.

When I disappear,

I become part of you.

And someday,

you may become a lily

on a street in your own community.”

Haven’t we already spoken without speaking?

There is no need for goodbye.

Without gesture or word,

we have already exchanged something

beyond time and place.

“I think you love me,” she said.

I think we no longer need

you or I.

“I see you seeing me

on some unknown mountain,

blooming wild.”

Yes—

and in that freedom

beauty becomes complete.

“Enjoy your moment of passing by,”

she whispered,

“and be happy

wherever your passing takes you.”

– TaeHun Yoon, 6/22/2026