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Green Heart, Quiet Melody

from: Portrait Image of Person Nam-gilNam-gil    to: Portrait Image of Person Ji-hyeJi-hye    Marker Icon for the Link to the Citymap
An elderly person with white hair is seated indoors, immersed in reading from a tablet. They are surrounded by lush green plants in pots, positioned next to a large window with multiple panes. Sunlight streams through the window, casting soft, ethereal rays and illuminating the scene with a gentle, natural light. Shelves with additional plants and objects are visible in the background, creating a serene and contemplative atmosphere.


Dear Ji-hye,

You’re not going to believe what I found.

In the greenhouse at Station 4—the one with the cracked ceiling and the leaky faucet—something strange happened. I was humming to myself while checking the irrigation valves, and one of the seedlings… moved.

At first, I thought it was the wind. But there was no draft. Then I tried again. A different melody this time, just a few quiet notes. And it moved again—toward the sound.

I’ve tested it all week. It doesn’t react to light changes, not to touch, not even to water. Only music. And not just any music—it prefers my singing. (Imagine that! After all those years you begged me not to sing at family picnics.)

I don’t know what this means yet. The others haven’t noticed, and I haven’t told them. I want to keep this one for us, at least for now. It feels like… a secret between an old botanist and something wild and alive.

It reminded me of you, when you were small and used to fall asleep on my chest while I sang the same lullaby over and over. Maybe the plant remembers, too. Maybe that’s what made it grow toward me.

I’ll sing to it again tomorrow. Just a little. Just enough.

With love,
Appa

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