Chapter 129 – The Chain That Connects You and Me
Kang Min-hyuk stared at Shin Yo-seop from below the stage.
A subtle atmosphere.
Just what was he thanking him for?
Shin Yo-seop slowly raised the trophy in his hand and began his speech.
“For a while, I was feeling quite skeptical about drawing comics. I thought Korean comics were stagnant, that the industry wasn’t developing…… and that we were simply being pushed aside by Japanese comics and fading into the background.”
The comic artists in the audience nodded.
It was something anyone dreaming of becoming a comic artist in Korea could relate to.
“Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk released the outstanding work Brave King, and it gave me a huge stimulus. I gained hope. That Korean comics still have a long way to go, and that I could develop further as well.”
He was giving high praise……
An embarrassed expression appeared on Min-hyuk’s face.
The audience’s reaction was heated.
The hands of the reporters typing on their keyboards moved busily.
Shin Yo-seop continued.
“Thanks to that, I regained a passion I hadn’t felt in a long time, and I believe I produced 200%, no, 300% of what I was capable of. So I am grateful to comic artist Kang Min-hyuk. And if I may show a bit of bravado……”
A subtle smile spread across Shin Yo-seop’s lips.
He paused for a moment, took a breath, brought his mouth closer to the microphone, and added at the end,
“I will work even harder and make sure to defeat comic artist Kang Min-hyuk with my next work.”
Everyone’s lips curled up, and then—
“Cool!”
“Ooooooh!”
Cheers erupted.
Min-hyuk also clapped without holding back.
When the applause died down, the emcee handed the microphone to Min-hyuk.
“Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk, please say a few words as well.”
“Comic artist Shin Yo-seop already said all the cool things, so I don’t have much left to say.”
Min-hyuk let out a small laugh and continued,
“I feel the same way. I was really happy to be able to compete with comic artist Shin Yo-seop. I think I was able to create Brave King, a work that far surpassed my own skills. Of course, this was possible thanks to…… my friends who supported me in every way.”
Min-hyuk’s eyes met those of Oh Dong-gyo, Kim Rok-hee, and Han Yu-ra.
“Mrs. Hong Mi-seon, who believed in and supported her immature son. Department Head Ma Dong-hyun, Teacher Choi Jung-an, comic artist Shin Pil-ho, editor Go Gwang-jin from New Chance, and Director Song Mi-hyeon. I know there were countless people who supported me.”
Min-hyuk made eye contact with each of them one by one.
After gaining this new life, so many people had believed in him and helped him.
Because he knew all too well that without them, today’s glory would never have happened.
‘It’s an unbelievable moment.’
He thought he should be grateful.
A late-bloomer comic artist who quit his job at an old age because he wanted to draw webtoons.
A fool of a comic artist who fell into the abyss after becoming crippled in one arm.
How incredibly lucky he was to have received a new opportunity like this.
How absurd it was that so many good people were gathered around him.
He was happy.
So happy that he wished this moment would never end.
Barely calming his trembling voice, Min-hyuk opened his lips once more.
“I will become someone who cherishes this. And I want to repay everyone with good comics as much as I have received. That is all.”
A flood of applause.
Bursts of camera flashes.
Kang Min-hyuk bowed deeply with a serious face.
For no reason, the tip of his nose felt stinging.
The emcee smiled brightly and took the microphone again.
“Well, that concludes the Bucheon Comic Awards ceremony. The winners will have a photo session…… and afterward, any reporters who wish may request interviews with the winners.”
“Yes!”
Smiles were rising on Kang Min-hyuk’s face.
On the faces of the comic artists who had lit up this occasion today.
***
About an hour later.
“Huuu…… I’m exhausted.”
A completely drained Kang Min-hyuk staggered out of the hall.
‘The awards ceremony was harder than I thought.’
The photo session had been fine.
It was about the same level of effort as waiting a bit at a friend’s wedding.
But what happened after that was the problem.
- Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk, I understand you’re a first-year high school student. When exactly did you start drawing comics?
- Well…… I’ve been doing it seriously for about a year.
- One year? Isn’t that an incredible genius?
- Ah, it’s not that I’m a genius, it’s just……
Reporters who wanted interviews poured out questions, and he had to answer each one sincerely.
Perhaps because the great honor of the Presidential Award had been given to a first-year high school student, the reporters seemed especially curious.
Questions about the content of Brave King, his next work, his high school life, and so on.
All kinds of questions rained down.
At the very end, even……
- Do you have a girlfriend right now?
- No, I don’t.
He even had to answer questions like that.
‘Anyway, it’s over.’
Staggering, he finally made it out to the lobby.
“Eh, Min-hyuk. You’re done?”
“Yeees……”
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon, Dong-gyo, Rok-hee…… and even Han Yu-ra were all standing there together.
“Huh? Yu-ra, why are you here……”
“Ah, I asked Yu-ra’s father. Since the kids won awards, I wondered if we could all go for an after-party together.”
Min-hyuk’s eyes widened as he asked,
“Yu-ra’s father…… actually gave permission?”
“Yeah, he agreed right away. Yu-ra’s father is really polite and nice. As expected from a famous artist.”
“Yes, my father is usually like that.”
Han Yu-ra nodded in agreement and smiled brightly.
‘……What? Suddenly?’
Never mind her smiling like that, but Han Kyung-taek being a good person?
Wasn’t he the indifferent dad who didn’t show any interest even when his daughter caused all kinds of chaos?
‘Well, good is good, I guess……’
While Min-hyuk was roughly scratching his head,
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon spoke up.
“Anyway, since we’re all gathered like this, let’s go eat. Pork ribs. A center staff member told me…… there’s a really delicious place nearby! Today, Auntie is treating everyone!”
Then,
“Ahaha! Thank you!”
“Yeees, Auntie, hurray!”
Dong-gyo and Rok-hee jumped around excitedly,
“Nice.”
Han Yu-ra gave a double thumbs-up, showing an unusually cheerful side.
‘Seriously……’
This sudden change was also bewildering.
A full, satisfied smile spread across Kang Min-hyuk’s face.
***
A few days later, in the parking lot of Korea Animation High.
Vroooom!
Screeech!
A red Matiz pulled into a spot.
“Have a good day, Comic artist Kang!”
“Mom, can you please stop calling me ‘Comic artist Kang’?”
“Why? My son received the Presidential Award, so I should call you ‘Comic artist Kang’.”
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon smiled brightly and spoke energetically.
“……Haaaa, I’m going now.”
“Fighting, my son! Next is the Nobel Comic Award!”
“There’s no Nobel Prize for comics……”
“Then what is there?”
“Nebula Award? Or the Golden Bear at the Angoulême Festival?”
“Then let’s go with that! The pride of Korea, David Kang Min-hyuk!”
“I’m going. Drive safely.”
“Okay!”
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon clenched her fist tightly.
Baaaaang!
The Matiz sped out of the parking lot.
Somehow, it felt much faster and rougher than usual.
“Huuu, let’s go.”
Min-hyuk turned his body and headed toward the school.
‘Seriously, my mind is a complete mess.’
From the Saturday of the Bucheon Comic Awards until yesterday,
Kang Min-hyuk had really……
Played so hard that even two bodies wouldn’t have been enough.
First, on Saturday,
- Three more orders of ribs here!
- Yes, coming right up!
The rib restaurant recommended by the center staff was far tastier than expected, so they ended up overeating.
- Kimino tete! Kirisaite!
- Ahahaha! Oh Dong-gyo looks like a total otaku!
- Yeah, he’s an otaku.
- Han Yu-ra, that’s a bit harsh……
They went to a karaoke room.
- We’re late!
- Aaaack! My haaaand!
They stopped by a board game café and enjoyed typical high school(?) leisure activities.
By the time they finished playing and returned home, he felt completely drained, as if every drop of energy had been sucked out.
Then, couldn’t he rest on Sunday?
Well……
- Hey Kang Min-hyuk! You won the Grand Prize, right? Jackpot, jackpot, jaaaackpot!
- Thanks.
- Let’s play like crazy today! This hyung is paying for everything!
- Play? I’m a bit tired……
- Ehh! Just play! We’re also going to see Uncle Pil-ho later. And eat delicious food!
His best friend since childhood, Oh Seung-heon, had descended and dragged him out again.
The problem was……
Oh Seung-heon played way more intensely than the kids from Korea Animation High.
- Hey, stop……
- Stop? You’re saying stop? It’s been so long since we met, and you want to just let it pass!
Thanks to that, when he got home, his body felt like a limp piece of soaked seaweed.
Still, well……
‘It wasn’t bad.’
Being able to unwind and celebrate like this with the kids he had worked with was itself a blessing and a joy.
And another thing that made him happy was,
‘I knew it would do well to some extent, but I didn’t expect Seung-heon to blow up this much.’
It was the momentum of Oh Seung-heon, who was currently serializing on Bluehouse.
‘Earth-Destroying Level Gag Impact’ had shot up the rankings and taken first place on Bluehouse.
Even though Bluehouse was still in its very early stages and hadn’t even passed 15 works yet……
Honestly, it was an incredible achievement.
And.
‘I also need to ride that wave soon.’
As Min-hyuk twitched his lips,
“Hey, isn’t that Kang Min-hyuk?”
“Yeah, yeah! The one who won the Grand Prize.”
“Is Brave King really his work?”
Some seniors passing by pointed at him and whispered.
It seemed the news of the Bucheon Comic Awards had already spread.
‘Tsk…… It’s going to get annoying from now on.’
Thanks to the Bucheon Comic Awards, the identity he had been hiding had been completely exposed.
It was no longer possible to conceal who he was……
He already felt worried.
Just then.
Tap tap tap!
One female student broke away from a group of seniors and walked straight up to Min-hyuk.
“Hey, you’re Kang Min-hyuk, right?”
“Ah, yes, I am.”
“Brave King! I’m a huge fan! So…… could you give me an autograph?”
She then pulled out the first volume of the Brave King physical book from her bag, as if she had prepared it in advance.
“Ah, well……”
“Why, you don’t want to?”
“No, it’s not that. I just don’t think I’m such a big deal that I should be giving autographs.”
“You’re not a big deal? If someone who received the Presidential Award isn’t a big deal, then who is?!”
Well…… she wasn’t wrong.
If he were in her position, he probably would have said something similar.
“Ugh…… May I ask your name, senior?”
“Yoon So-ri, second year, Comic Creation Department!”
Scratch scratch! Scratch!
Min-hyuk carefully wrote her name and added a small illustration of Coup-ler above it before handing it back.
“Thank you! Really, thank you so much!”
The senior smiled brightly, then quickly ran back to rejoin her group on the other side.
“Wow, jackpot. He gave you an autograph?”
“Yeah, look. Jealous?”
“Wow, damn……”
Watching the scene, Min-hyuk couldn’t help but smile.
‘Well, it’s not all bad.’
After that, similar things happened a few more times.
“Congratulations on the Grand Prize!”
“Wow, I really enjoyed Brave King!”
Seniors offering congratulations.
Or……
“Betrayal. If you’re David, you should’ve told us earlier!”
“Sorry.”
Even classmates complaining to Min-hyuk for not revealing his identity until now.
Everyone, without exception, had something to say.
In the middle of it all,
“Hey, let’s go together.”
“Huh?”
A familiar voice came from the side.
When he turned his head, Han Yu-ra was standing there.
“……Don’t look around, just keep walking forward.”
“Why?”
“If you make eye contact, they’ll talk to you. Asking for autographs or wanting to take photos together.”
“Ah……”
It seemed he wasn’t the only one who had gotten tired of it.
When they had walked all the way to the front of the main school building,
“As expected, it’s hanging there.”
“Damn……”
[Bucheon Comic Awards – Grand Prize: Kang Min-hyuk, Excellence Award: Han Yu-ra]
[Congratulations!]
A large banner was hanging on the outer wall of the school building.
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