Chapter 4 – My Goal Is Animation High School
Thump. Thump.
Mother and son sat across from each other at the small dining table.
Dinner was simple.
Braised tofu.
Seasoned burdock root wrapped in plastic from the restaurant where Alysa worked.
A bowl of soybean paste stew with barely any meat.
Kimchi.
And a few pieces of Yonggary Chicken.
To anyone else, it might have looked like an ordinary meal.
But to Johan...
It was a feast.
He quietly watched his mother as they ate.
Alysa only picked at the burdock, kimchi, and stew.
She never touched the Yonggary Chicken.
As a child, Johan had never questioned it.
***
"Mom, why aren't you eating the chicken?"
"I don't really like it. You eat it."
Back then...
He had believed her.
Now, with the memories of a thirty-four-year-old man...
He knew she had lied.
She had simply wanted her son to eat more.
Johan picked up a piece of chicken and placed it on top of her rice.
"Mom."
"You should have some too."
She immediately moved it back onto the plate.
"I don't want it."
"You eat."
Johan smiled and returned it to her bowl.
"Try it."
She sighed and pushed it away again.
"I said I don't like it."
He placed it back.
"Just one bite."
She moved it again.
"Stop it."
Back and forth.
Again.
Again.
Finally—
"Johan!"
"I already told you I don't like it!"
If this had happened in his previous life...
He would have immediately lowered his head.
But he wasn't fourteen anymore.
He smiled.
"I know you're giving it to me because you love me."
"I just want you to eat some too."
Alysa looked at him as though he had suddenly lost his mind.
"...What are you talking about?"
"I'm serious."
"I thought you were pretending not to like it."
She blinked.
"Pretending?"
"I really don't like Yonggary Chicken."
"...What?"
"It's dry."
"And the sauce is too sweet."
"It's children's food."
Johan froze.
"..."
"...Oh."
So that was the truth.
He had misunderstood her all these years.
Embarrassed, he scratched his cheek.
"...Sorry."
Alysa simply sighed.
"Let's just eat."
"...Okay."
The meal continued in silence.
In the end...
Johan finished every piece of chicken himself.
After dinner, Johan immediately stood up.
"I'll wash the dishes."
Alysa looked surprised.
"You?"
"Since when do you volunteer to do housework?"
"...Did you get into trouble?"
Johan laughed awkwardly.
"No."
"I just wanted to help."
Without waiting for an answer, he carried the dishes to the sink.
Running water filled the small kitchen.
As he washed each plate, he spoke without turning around.
"Mom."
"Hm?"
"When I'm finished..."
"I need to talk to you."
She looked puzzled.
"About what?"
"I'll tell you in a minute."
She narrowed her eyes.
"...You're acting strangely today."
"You didn't get into a fight at school, did you?"
"No."
"I just have something important to say."
"...Fine."
She walked into the living room and sat down on the worn brown sofa.
The television was already on.
Johan continued washing dishes.
His heart gradually became heavier.
"This is it."
If he wanted to change his future...
Everything depended on this conversation.
His plan was simple.
Tell her he wanted to become a cartoonist.
Tell her he wanted to attend Animation High School.
Explain that he would solve the financial burden himself.
As a thirty-four-year-old adult...
Surely he could persuade his own mother.
"Right...?"
He swallowed.
Then—
The television news caught his attention.
"Today's top story..."
"A woman in her twenties was found dead inside a comic rental store."
Johan slowly turned his head.
"...What?"
The anchor continued.
"According to witnesses, the woman had no stable occupation and spent most of her time reading violent Japanese comics..."
Alysa's sleepy eyes immediately widened.
"Johan."
"Look at that."
"They're saying someone died because they became addicted to comics."
"..."
"You should stop spending so much time reading them."
"What if you end up like that too?"
A cold sweat formed on Johan's forehead.
"Seriously...?"
"Why does this have to happen today?"
He tried to explain.
"Mom..."
"It's not the comics themselves."
"The news is exaggerating—"
"If someone became addicted enough to die..."
"Then comics must be dangerous."
"..."
There couldn't have been worse timing.
Johan silently finished washing the dishes.
After drying his hands, he walked into the living room.
Alysa looked up.
"So."
"What did you want to tell me?"
Johan took a slow breath.
"It's about high school."
Her expression instantly changed.
"What?"
"Did your exam results come out?"
"You didn't fail anything, did you?"
"No."
"I'm not hiding my report card either."
"You'd better not."
"If I find out later..."
"You know what will happen."
Johan almost laughed.
Even after returning to the past...
His mother hadn't changed at all.
"So?"
"What is it?"
"You've been acting strange all day."
"..."
"If you don't tell me..."
"I'll call your teacher tomorrow."
"It isn't anything like that."
She folded her arms.
Waiting.
Watching.
The atmosphere became unbearably tense.
Johan smiled bitterly.
"She's still terrifying..."
No matter how much life experience he had...
Alysa Seo was still Alysa Seo.
She had raised him alone through countless hardships.
Nothing intimidated her.
There was no point trying to avoid the subject.
He decided to face it directly.
"Mom."
"I want to become a cartoonist."
At that exact moment—
The television continued its report.
"The National Parents' Association has expressed concern that violent comics may negatively influence young readers..."
Johan silently cursed his terrible luck.
Alysa slowly turned toward him.
"...You're joking."
"No."
"I'm completely serious."
She stared at him.
"Since when?"
"When did you suddenly start drawing?"
"Are you saying this because you don't want to study?"
Without answering, Johan stood.
He walked into his room.
A moment later...
He returned carrying one of his sketchbooks.
He placed it on the table.
"...Take a look."
Alysa opened it.
Inside were page after page of drawings.
Men.
Women.
Children.
Elderly people.
Every character was alive with expression and movement.
Even someone with no artistic knowledge could tell...
The artist was talented.
Her eyes widened.
"...You drew these?"
Johan nodded.
"Yes."
She looked at him suspiciously.
"...You didn't copy these from one of your friends?"
Johan laughed.
"So your first thought is that your son became a thief?"
Without waiting for a reply...
He took the sketchbook back.
Picked up a pencil.
And began drawing.
His hand moved effortlessly across the paper.
Confident.
Precise.
Only a few minutes later...
He turned the page toward her.
"...Look."
Alysa froze.
It was her.
Her permed hair.
Her thick eyebrows.
The faint freckles on her cheeks.
Even her warm smile had been perfectly captured in a simple cartoon style.
"..."
She couldn't speak.
She looked from the drawing...
to Johan...
then back again.
"How about it?"
"I think I have what it takes."
She remained silent for a long time.
Finally...
"...Johan."
"You can draw."
"I won't deny that."
"But comics..."
"I don't want to do it as a hobby."
"I want to make it my career."
His voice was calm.
Steady.
There wasn't a trace of hesitation.
Alysa lowered her gaze.
"It happened so suddenly..."
"If you make a decision like this overnight..."
"I..."
She couldn't finish her sentence.
Johan understood.
In his previous life...
She had reacted exactly the same way.
***
"I'm saying this because I care about you."
"Do you think anyone can become a cartoonist?"
"Listen to your mother."
Back then...
The fourteen-year-old Johan had surrendered.
He had buried his dream.
Only to spend the rest of his life regretting it.
Not this time.
He met her eyes.
He wasn't running away anymore.
He wasn't abandoning another dream because of fear or money.
He would become the greatest cartoonist in the world.
He would earn enough to give his mother a comfortable life.
He would live without regrets.
Which meant...
He couldn't back down now.
Alysa finally asked,
"So what are you planning to do?"
"Quit school?"
"I'll never allow that."
Johan shook his head.
"No."
"I'm still going to high school."
"Then what?"
"I want to attend Daehan Animation High School."
Her face immediately filled with worry.
"...Do you really have to go to a special school like that?"
Johan smiled gently.
He already knew what she was worried about.
Money.
Tuition.
Living expenses.
He reached into his pocket.
Pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
And handed it to her.
She unfolded it.
Daehan Animation High School National Comic Contest
Grand Prize
₩5,000,000 Cash Prize
Special Admission to Daehan Animation High School
Johan pointed at the announcement.
"I'm entering this competition."
"I'll win."
"And if I do..."
"I'll give you every won of the prize money."
Alysa looked at him quietly.
"...And if you lose?"
Johan answered without hesitation.
"If I lose..."
"I'll give up."
"I won't bring up becoming a cartoonist again."
"I'll study exactly the way you want."
She searched his face.
"...Really?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
"So..."
"Please."
"Let me enter the competition."