Return of the Genius Photographer

It was a full-fledged spring.

The start of a new school term always brought a mix of excitement and anxiety to many.

Excitement about seeing friends again after a long time and anxiety about making new friends.

In the midst of these conflicting emotions, Young-ho felt slightly relieved.

“Thank goodness we’re in the same class…”

This relief stemmed from hearing that his friend was in the same class.

The fact that he didn’t have to make new friends hastily was a comfort.

But in his relief, Young-ho overlooked something unusual.

“But did he already arrive at school? What’s up with him? Is he excited because it’s the first day?”

Of course, knowing wouldn’t change anything…

“Hey! Nam Woojin!”

Ten minutes before the start of the homeroom session.

Young-ho, who had arrived at school quite leisurely, sat down next to Woojin.

“How have you been? Has it been a month? What have you been up to?”

Maybe it was because he hadn’t seen his friend in a while. Or perhaps he was caught up in the excitement around him.

Young-ho openly expressed his delight.

“Did you grow taller? You seem a bit different?”

“…”

But despite Young-ho’s barrage of questions, Woojin didn’t answer.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

When Woojin didn’t respond, Young-ho started to get a bit irritated.

“Studying.”

Woojin quietly replied.

“Hahaha! You, studying?”

Young-ho laughed out loud as if mocking him.

“Oh! Are you studying StarCraft? You lost to me last time.”

He couldn’t help but think that way. In Young-ho’s mind, Woojin was someone far removed from studying.

Someone who loved to stay up all night playing games and hated studying, the perfect friend to hang out with.

But something was off.

‘He should be reacting by now if I’m teasing him like this…’

Despite Young-ho’s continuous antics, Woojin just silently kept looking at his book.

Given Woojin’s personality, he should be getting mad by now…

“Are you really studying? Why?”

When the puzzled Young-ho asked again, Woojin glanced at his watch, took a small breath, and answered.

“You need to study if you want to survive in the future.”

“What?”

“If you keep playing around, you’ll regret it later. Let’s study together.”

Despite his calm tone, the content of his words wasn’t something Young-ho expected to hear from Woojin.

Young-ho was so taken aback that he just gaped, unable to respond.

“How can you say the same things my parents do? Did you eat something wrong?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”

Despite barely collecting himself to answer, there was still a sense of disconnect in the conversation. It felt similar to the frustration he felt when his parents scolded him.

Young-ho was puzzled by his friend’s strange behavior, wondering what had happened to him.

But Woojin’s odd behavior didn’t end there.

-Ding Dong Ding Dong!

“Is it time to eat now?”

As the bell rang to signal the start of the homeroom session, Woojin began rummaging through his bag and pulled out something.

“What’s that…?”

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Young-ho started to ask when he caught sight of the words ‘Green Juice’ on the container.

“Green juice? Isn’t that really bitter? Why are you drinking that?”

“It’s tasty. Want to try some?”

Young-ho, eyeing Woojin with suspicion, couldn’t resist his curiosity and took a sip of the green juice Woojin offered.

“Ugh! Ptooey! Why on earth do you drink this stuff?”

“It’s good for diabetes. Gotta take care of your health, man. Don’t act all invincible just because you’re young.”

“You really…”

When had his friend turned into such an old soul?

‘Could it be?’

Did he get caught sneaking out to the PC bang all night?

Did his parents find out and hit him so hard that it messed with his head?

Various thoughts flashed through Young-ho’s mind.

“Be honest. What really happened?”

Worried, Young-ho asked again in a concerned tone, looking at his friend who had changed so much.

Woojin smirked at Young-ho’s serious expression and replied in a playful tone.

“I’m actually from the future.”

“What the heck.”

It seemed his mind wasn’t completely broken.

His sudden joking reminded Young-ho of the Woojin he knew.

‘Well, if something serious had happened, he would have told me. I shouldn’t worry about it.’

Young-ho decided not to think too much about it. After all, they say adolescence can bring about many changes.

As a high school sophomore, it wasn’t strange to change at any moment.

Even Young-ho’s parents had told him he should change now that he was a high school student.

Young-ho simply chalked up Woojin’s change to a passing whim.

Woojin watched him and smiled.

*****

“I’m home.”

“You’re back early. How was school?”

“It ended early because it was the opening ceremony.”

“Alright, go wash up and change your clothes.”

“Yes, Mom.”

After school, I brushed off my mother’s questions and went straight to my room.

“I guess I have to accept it now.”

To be honest, it still feels unbelievable.

At first, I thought it was a dream.

Thinking it was a dream felt more rational than thinking, “I’ve gone back to the past.”

Even if it was a dream, it would be fine.

After being diagnosed with blindness, even my dreams were filled with nothing but darkness.

How long had it been since I’d had such a vivid dream?

But if it were a dream, I should have woken up by now.

Even a week after my birthday, the dream continued.

In the end, I decided to accept that I had indeed gone back to the past.

“There’s no point in agonizing over it anymore.”

That’s right. No matter how much I ponder over an inexplicable event, it’s meaningless.

Moreover, my last memory is still vivid.

I absentmindedly touched the back of my head.

‘I fell as the ground gave way.’

I lost consciousness immediately afterward, but the next part is easy to imagine.

Death.

As the sherpa had feared, I didn’t make it back alive from the Himalayas.

I was supposed to deliver the photo to him…

Despite his tough exterior, he was a very kind person. I wonder what happened to him.

‘And what was that vision…’

The strange sensation I felt before losing consciousness and all those photos—what were they?

In retrospect, the photo I grasped last was the one from my birthday, so it felt as if the photo had brought me here.

“Haha. What am I even thinking?”

I laughed at myself, finding the thoughts ridiculous.

Let’s just consider it a long dream.

Yes, maybe all the memories of my previous life were just a dream.

Just as Zhuangzi dreamt of being a butterfly, or the butterfly dreamt of being Zhuangzi.

Perhaps I had only dreamt of becoming a photographer…

‘This is a new opportunity.’

In any case, the fact remains that I’ve been given a new opportunity.

If so, let’s focus on the future instead of the past.

With that, I decided to stop thinking about this bizarre phenomenon.

‘So, what do I do now?’

But thinking about the future left me feeling lost about how to live.

There were too many thoughts, and none of them were organized…

“Phew… Should I write something down?”

To clear my complicated mind, I turned on my computer.

-Whirrrrr….

“Damn, this is too slow.”

The computer started up with its noisy booting sound, but it felt frustratingly slow.

For someone used to future computers, the speed difference was like comparing a snail to a Ferrari.

I guess I’ll have to adapt to each of these little things from now on.

I could feel the reality of being in the past once again.

“I have no choice for now.”

Sighing softly, I turned away from kicking the computer and opened a notebook.

“Analog is faster in times like this.”

And then I started writing.

– Today is March 2, 2007.

I have traveled back in time 30 years, to when I was a high school sophomore.

Youth, something everyone desires.

If I were to describe the feeling, it’s like believing I can achieve anything.

But I have no intention of squandering this opportunity by idling away.

After all, my previous life ended in incompletion.

In this life, I want to achieve something with my own hands.

Thus,

– Become a world-renowned photographer

I wrote down my first goal.

It was my most cherished dream, one I had to abandon at the brink of success.

I realized how much I loved photography only after learning I could no longer take photos.

Now, with my eyes fully restored, this time,

“I will succeed.”

I was confident I could open the door that had remained shut in my past life.

I had experience, above all.

Over more than 20 years with a camera, I had learned techniques on the streets and developed unique secrets known only to me.

However, my goal wasn’t to be an ordinary photographer, but the best in the world.

To be called a master.

I would need to pour everything I had and go beyond to reach that level.

My competitors wouldn’t be my peers but professionals already active in the field.

It would be a challenging endeavor.

“Haha.”

I laughed. Why? Was it confidence?

Despite knowing it would be tough, it didn’t seem impossible.

On the contrary, these thoughts were exhilarating.

In high spirits, I continued to fill the notebook.

What should I do to become the best photographer?

“This should be first.”

– Take care of your health.

Losing my sight must never happen again.

I looked at the pile of green juice in the corner of my room.

Next to it were onion juice, garlic juice, and other foods good for diabetes.

My blindness had been caused by diabetes. While my health was still good, I needed to be especially cautious.

‘Maintaining my health is crucial.’

I recalled how recklessly I had lived in my past life.

Skipping meals and pulling all-nighters just to take good photos…

It was only a matter of time before my health deteriorated.

“Not anymore.”

I muttered to myself.

Simply eating well wouldn’t prevent diabetes, but it was a resolution of sorts.

My hand instinctively gripped the pen tighter as I wrote.

– Take lots of photos.

In truth, becoming a photographer is relatively easy.

If you go outside, take photos, and manage to move even one person with them,

Anyone can become a photographer.

Even when I was selling photos for pocket money at tourist spots in my previous life, I took pride in being a photographer.

Thus, there are countless ways to become a photographer.

You could learn slowly under a famous photographer, join a studio, create a portfolio to connect with magazines, or sell photos on the market.

Submitting photos to contests, studying photography in college, or taking commissions on social media are also viable paths.

Among these various methods, the only common factor is taking photos.

‘Of course, since a photographer is someone who communicates through photos.’

No matter which of the numerous methods you choose.

The fact remains that you must take photos.

And lots of them.

“Should I stop here for now?”

I read what I had written in my notebook. It felt like I had written a lot, yet the notebook still had plenty of empty pages.

But that’s okay.

I planned to slowly fill this notebook with thoughts over time.

For now,

“Let’s go take some photos.”

Anywhere will do. It doesn’t matter what.

Let’s go take some photos.

Because that’s what a photographer does.

I closed the notebook and grabbed my camera.

“Son, where are you going? You need to eat!”

“Sorry, Mom, I’m going out to take some photos.”

“Photos?”

“Yes. I’ll be back soon. Love you, Mom!”

“Woojin, wait a minute…!”

I quickly left the house, declining my mother’s request.

I felt a bit guilty towards her, but I couldn’t help it.

Right now, I had an overwhelming desire to take photos.

I realized I might not keep my promise to return soon.

The breeze felt incredibly refreshing.

It seemed like today would be a good day for taking photos.

*****

“What’s going on with him these days?”

Woojin’s mother, Kim Young-hee, stood there, staring blankly at the spot where Woojin had left, lost in thought.

Just a week ago on his birthday, he had suddenly burst into tears upon receiving a gift.

Since that day, the mischievous boy had inexplicably become calmer.

Was it a mother’s intuition? For a moment, she felt like her son had become a different person.

“Is he going through puberty?… Nah, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Kim Young-hee chuckled, dismissing her worries as unnecessary, and turned to head into the kitchen.

Unless he had gone astray in a bad way,

To her, the current Woojin just seemed like a bright and lovable son.

The kimchi stew was boiling.

She had no time to continue worrying as she was busy preparing dinner.