Maniac | Stray Kids

Prologue

Lee Minho, the greatest author of all time. The 22-year-old genius behind some of the most remarkable horror stories to hit the shelves. He was best known for his grim book series, Spiderweb. The trilogy about a tortuous labyrinth created by an outcasted billionaire who used people as guinea pigs in his experiments. The series that would make Minho the most loved and hated penman to this day.

The first few weeks following the release of the books, fans and lovers of horror praised Minho for his unique concepts and talents. His emails and comment sections were flooded with positive reviews from the tight-knit thrill seeking community. They went as far as declaring him the 'King of Horror'.

Minho was ecstatic, throwing lavish parties to recognize his new profound success. For weeks, the writer hosted some of the most extravagant celebrations the media had ever seen. He even opened his million dollar manor to the public, inviting his devoted fans to party alongside him.

Unfortunately, Minho's success didn't last much longer. As magazines and newspapers began publishing columns about Spiderweb, many claimed the series to be too obscene. They said Minho was psychotic to come up with a story so gruesome. Of all the horror books written, the media detested Minho's greatly.

    Like any trend, the general public followed the media in hating Lee Minho's work.

Soon, the positive reviews once littering his email were replaced with hateful letters from readers all over the world. His social media accounts were just as bad if not worse. Many comments contained death threats, leaked information, and foul language which led Minho to stop reading them all together.

With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Minho decided to isolate himself. He didn't update his fans on his whereabouts. He didn't touch his computer to write stories or read what the media had to say about him. He didn't even leave his house.

Minho was tired of the criticism and he chose to disappear to avoid it all. He left without a trace.

And now, a decade later, he's back.