**"Hi, I'm Jiwon."**
The words fell from his lips like a confession, a truth he'd never dared to say out loud. He stood on a street where no one cared about him. People walked past, caught up in their own worlds, completely ignoring his presence.
His gaze shifted toward the sketchbook resting on his desk. His creations, his stories—they were the only things that gave him purpose. Every page in that book held the truth of who he was, even if no one else would ever see it.
[Jiwon] "I'm very poor, and my family is gone. They died because of poverty. My father was a fraud, not for greed, but just to survive."
He sighed and turned, heading to his room.
[Jiwon] "They always told me to follow my dreams, but they never told me how hard it would be to actually make it. Still, they supported me a lot. Before they died, my dad gave me the responsibility to take care of my little sister. She passed away in a car accident when I wasn't even there." He paused, swallowing hard. "Her last words were: 'Please be safe'... and then she was gone."
He wasn't ashamed of who he was, but the world didn't care. It cared about success. It cared about names, faces, backgrounds. And Jiwon had none of those things.
[Jiwon] "But I won't be invisible anymore." His fingers traced the pages of his completed manhwa. "This... this is my chance."
---
[Jiwon] "One day I published a manhwa called, *The Ruined World*. I was scared whether.no one liked it?I though what I failed?
Then, everything changed.
The internet exploded with comments:
**"Best Manhwa ever!"**
**"Where's this guy? I need to see him and praise him!"**
**The Big Break**
Late that night, an email appeared in his inbox. The subject line lit up his screen:
**Subject:
Congratulations!
Your Story is a Grand Success – You Can Submit Your Work to Animora Studios**
Jiwon's heart stopped. *Animora.* The studio that brought dreams to life. The place where stories were not just told—they were *made*. He had dreamed of this moment for so long. And now, it was happening.
He opened the email, his fingers trembling as he read the words:
**"We have reviewed your submission, and we are impressed. Your work shows great potential, and we'd love to see more. Please come to our office for further discussion."**
Jiwon couldn't believe it. This was it. His chance.
He grabbed his manhwa, stuffed it into his bag, and rushed out the door. The air outside felt different—brighter, lighter. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was moving toward something greater than himself.
**Animora Studios**
The building stood before him—a towering structure of glass and steel. The future. He had made it here. He was here.
Inside, the receptionist handed him a visitor's badge with a polite smile and led him to a conference room. The air was thick with anticipation, like the world was holding its breath.
The manager behind the desk was dressed in a sharp suit. His eyes were cold and professional, like he saw everything as business.
[ manager jihon] **"Mr. Jiwon,We've reviewed your work."**
Jiwon nodded, trying to hide the nervous flutter in his chest. This was it. The moment that would change everything.
The manager flipped through the pages of Jiwon's manhwa, scanning each panel with sharp, focused eyes. *They liked it. They really liked it.*
The manager finally set the pages down and looked up. There was a flicker of something in his eyes—appreciation? Approval? But before Jiwon could feel any relief, the words that followed shattered him.
[ manager jihon] **"This is impressive work and It's original, fresh. But... there's a problem. You've remained anonymous."**
Jiwon's stomach twisted. He had never wanted to reveal his identity. His father's past. His own shame.
[Jiwon] (shaky) **"I don't see why that matters,"*
The manager sighed and set the papers down. **"Your father was involved in fraudulent business dealings, wasn't he? You should've told us. Your work is good, but without knowing who you are, the public will never trust you."**
Jiwon's breath hitched. *How did they know?* How had they found out so quickly? It didn't matter. *It was over.*
**"Your story is good,"** the manager continued. **"But without transparency, you're just another fraud. How can we trust someone who hides their true self?"**
Jiwon felt as if the walls of the room were closing in on him. His past—his father's failure—was now his burden to carry.
**The Backlash**
When Jiwon stepped outside, the weight of the world seemed to come crashing down on him again. His phone buzzed relentlessly in his pocket. Hesitant, he pulled it out. The screen flickered to life, showing the latest headline:
**Breaking News: Jiwon's Father Exposed as Fraudulent Businessman**
The comments flooded in faster than he could read them. The praise he had received online, the support from strangers, it all turned to hate in an instant.
**"Another fraud."**
**"Just like his father."**
**"Don't trust him—he's nothing but a liar."**
The internet, which had once lifted him up, now tore him down. It was like his past had been reborn and was consuming him all over again.
Jiwon stumbled into an alley, his knees buckling as he sank to the ground. He could barely breathe under the weight of it all. His past. His failure. His dreams—all crushed beneath the weight of something he couldn't change.
He pulled out the *Pen of Reality* from his bag, his fingers trembling as he stared at it. The pen—the one thing that had once given him hope. But now, it felt like nothing more than a cruel reminder of everything he had lost.
With a sharp crack, the pen broke in his hands, the pieces falling to the ground like shattered glass.
**"I tried...I really tried... but it was never enough."**
---
**To be continued…**