Chapter 1

2000년 만화천재 – @차지우

손목을 잃은 만화가, 20년을 되돌아오다.

# 74부터 이어하기 (익명 업로더님)

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001화. 다시 해 보자.

I want to become a manga artist.

That was the only thing I ever thought about in my life.

Five years ago,

I finally made my debut after struggling through a long and uncertain period as an aspiring artist.

I achieved the dream of becoming a serialized artist, but it wasn't as fulfilling as I had hoped.

I was a late bloomer, debuting in a mediocre Japanese manga magazine at the age of 27, and my first work performed below average.

'It was just one of those forgettable works that would disappear after a brief moment of attention.'

But it was okay.

I didn't lose heart.

'I won't give up.'

What did it matter if I wasn't popular? I just needed to succeed with my next work.

Despite repeated failures, I kept moving my pen.

'If I try ten times, one of them will surely work out.'

I had no talent, but I persevered with a stubborn passion.

'I will definitely create a work that everyone will remember.'

I took on more work.

'I want to show my story to as many readers as possible!'

For several years, I continued to draw, whether it was Korean webtoons, Japanese monthly or bimonthly magazines, or even short serials.

Did heaven finally recognize my efforts?

After four major overhauls of my works over five years, I finally started to see success with this new work.

My books were displayed on the best shelves in bookstores,

and I even saw people lining up to buy them on the first day of release.

It was a huge success, something I had never experienced in my life.

"Mr. An Seo-joon, if we keep this up, we can soon propose an animation production meeting! We're not far from a million copies! Just a little more effort, please!"

The editor's words were like kindling.

I even saved time on sleeping and eating.

"Mr. An, please take a break."

"I'm fine. I can't afford to rest if I want to get more votes in the next survey."

"But you need to take care of your health..."

"I've never been sick in my 30 years. I have a strong body, so don't worry too much."

I ignored the concerns of my assistants and pushed through the pain in my wrist.

'If I just keep going, I can achieve the long-held goal I've been dreaming of.'

My gaze naturally fell on the framed paper on my desk. It was a crumpled, faded piece of paper.

I must have been in sixth grade when I made this goal.

On the day I decided to become a manga artist, I tore out a page from my notebook and wrote my goal.

It was such an ambitious goal that it took over a decade to achieve even one of them,

'But it's not impossible anymore.'

Now, that goal was gradually becoming more tangible.

'I will definitely achieve it.'

With the feeling of chasing the sun, I continued to work through the night.

That evening,

"Aaaah!!"

The pain in my wrist and everything else came crashing down.

"Mr. An!"

The pain was like being pricked by a red-hot needle, making it hard to even stand.

"Ughh!!"

I tried to hold the pen despite the pain, but my fingers wouldn't move. I couldn't even grip the pen.

'Shit.'

Only then did I realize the severity of the situation.

I had always lived with carpal tunnel syndrome, so I knew this was serious.

I immediately stopped working and went to the hospital.

"You can't draw manga anymore?"

I was in shock for a while.

The doctor carefully replied,

"You have carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment. Even with immediate surgery, it's difficult to avoid permanent damage."

"What?"

The doctor explained that I wouldn't be able to apply force to my hand, would lose sensation, and wouldn't be able to do precise work.

In other words, I couldn't draw manga anymore.

I couldn't believe it.

'How did I get this far?'

It was impossible for it to end like this.

'It will be fine soon. I was drawing well just a few days ago, right?'

I declared a temporary hiatus, hiding my illness, and practiced holding a pen after the surgery.

"Ughh!!"

Every time I tried to apply force to my wrist, the pain would come back, making the pen wobble.

It felt easier to hold the pen with my mouth.

After a long time, I finally accepted that I couldn't draw manga and informed the editorial department.

A few days later,

I opened a manga magazine and read my own work.

Chapter 35, where the protagonist was about to fight a mid-boss of the evil forces.

The story was just getting on track,

'But this isn't some third-rate manga.'

It ended before it could even properly start.

It was absurd. Just when I could see the finish line, I stumbled and fell.

'Everything is back to square one...'

Ten years as an assistant,

five years of serialized manga.

Fifteen years in total.

I had dedicated my life to drawing manga, but now my body wouldn't cooperate.

Sitting on the sofa, I saw the tightly packed manga books.

Anger welled up inside me.

"I can't even look at them."

I wanted to take out my frustration on the innocent manga books.

I put all the manga books in the living room into boxes.

'I might as well throw them all away since they're useless anyway.'

I decided to throw away the manga books without any regret.

I had already dealt with all the manga books in the living room.

Just as I was about to clear the remaining manga in my room,

"This is...?"

I blinked. A familiar phrase was taped to the bottom of a book cover.

"But why is this here?"

It was a borrowed manga book, and I couldn't remember when I had borrowed it.

"Ah..."

It was a headache.

It wasn't my book.

Even though it was from a rental shop, I couldn't just throw it away.

'Pakseok First Manga Shop' wasn't just any manga shop to me.

"Maybe I should visit the old man."

I sighed deeply and rubbed my forehead.

* * *

'Almost five years, huh.'

I looked at the sign of the old manga shop and went inside.

I placed a small box of Pocari Sweat and the book on the counter where the old man was sitting.

"Grandpa, it's been a while."

"Seo-joon?"

The old man adjusted his glasses.

This was the bookshop where I first encountered manga.

When I was a child, I used to sneak in to read manga, and the old man would catch me.

But instead of scolding me, he allowed me to read for free inside the shop, knowing that I had little pocket money.

"I forgot I borrowed these. I'll pay for them now."

"It's fine. I heard you became a manga artist, but you haven't visited in a long time. How have you been?"

"I've been busy. I'm just here for a short visit."

I didn't mention that I had quit being a manga artist.

I looked around the manga shop. It hadn't changed at all.

'Now that I think about it, I really miss this place.'

I used to come here even after becoming a high school student and an adult, but I hadn't visited since becoming a manga artist.

"Anyway, I've returned the books, so I'll be going now."

"Going? You just got here. Stay and chat for a while."

"I don't really have anything I want to read..."

Despite saying that, my gaze fell on the bookshelf.

Even if I didn't like manga, I didn't dislike this place of memories.

'I might as well take a look around.'

I nodded and went to the deep bookshelf as usual.

The faint smell of mold from the paper tickled my nose.

I noticed that this section had relatively old books.

'There it is.'

Manga like 'Dragon Ball' and 'Slam Dunk,' which I read as a child, were still on the shelf.

I always found inspiration here.

'I definitely don't like manga anymore.'

Why, then?

I felt like reading the same manga I used to read in school.

Without realizing it, my hand reached for 'Dragon Ball.'

I sat cross-legged, leaning against the bookshelf, just like I used to in school, and started reading the manga.

"Is this manga interesting?"

A voice came from beside me.

She looked to be around 10 years old.

Even this old-fashioned manga shop still had young visitors.

"Yeah, it's interesting. There's a lot to learn from it."

I didn't turn to look at the child.

"A lot to learn?"

The child continued to talk.

To be honest, I found it annoying, but I decided to protect her innocence.

"I'm a manga artist."

"What manga do you draw?"

"There's one called 'Big Heart'..."

As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake.

"Big Heart?"

As expected,

the situation unfolded as I had anticipated.

"That's the one that was interesting but ended strangely, right?"

It was touching to have a reader who had read my manga, but the sharp truth stung.

Her innocent curiosity made it even more painful.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's the truth."

Even as I said that, I immediately spoke again.

"Look forward to my next work. I'll definitely make something good this time."

I was surprised by my own words.

'Next work?'

I thought I had given up on manga, that it was over. But deep down, I hadn't given up.

'Next work, my ass. I can't even draw anymore.'

I sighed, feeling resentful towards my wrist.

I want to draw manga.

I have countless stories I want to tell.

'If only my body would cooperate, I would draw manga.'

I wanted to go back to the time when I was drawing manga.

'Alright, let's just go home now.'

As I closed the book and stood up,

my heart skipped a beat.

My breathing quickened.

"Huh?"

Something had changed.

Of course, this was an old bookshop, but something was different.

'Was the shop always this big?'

The manga shop felt wider than before.

'The book covers were faded, too.'

The old, oxidized pages looked as if they had been newly printed, and the old man's hair, which was white, was now black.

"What is this...?"

As I looked down, I felt another shock.

My hands looked smaller than usual, and the calluses were gone.

Even the slight pain in my wrist was gone.

'It's not just my hands.'

The clothes I was wearing had changed, and I was shorter.

Everything was unbelievable, but

I could easily tell what was happening.

It was in my 'memory.'

'This can't be...'

I shivered.

'20 years ago.'

I was back to the exact same appearance I had when I first entered the manga shop as a sixth-grader.

Was I dreaming?

'How...?'

I pinched my cheek hard.

"Aaaah!"

A high-pitched voice from a young throat.

The sharp pain in my cheek.

'It's not a dream?'

This was all real.

My head throbbed with confusion.

'Okay, let's check my condition first.'

I checked my body for injuries, looked in my pockets, and looked around. Then, I noticed...

'What the...?'

Everything had returned to the past, but

there was one thing that hadn't changed.

"Why are you suddenly self-deprecating?"

The girl who had spoken to me.

"You, you...?"

A girl?

No...

'...It's not human.'

Her voice and aura were the same, but her appearance was different from before.

She was a deformed, four-panel character.

Not human, but an alien presence.

It was as if a manga character had come to life.

"Who are you?"

I was confused, but the girl just smiled brightly without answering.