The Home Icon

When I was eight years old, I stumbled upon a drawing board while searching for information about my favorite game. It was more than just an art community; people also shared stories about their pets and everyday lives. I also posted fan art there. Looking back, it was quite rough, but people were very welcoming.

The webmaster of the site usually chose the cover art for each month. Being selected was like a small honor, and I used to check the site excitedly every month.

One day, I discovered that clicking the home icon next to a username would take me to a personal website. I began browsing them. I often saw teenage girls talking about web design and exchanging messages in guestbooks. They seemed to be having fun, and I dreamed of having my own website someday.

Around that time, more and more users began talking about another site. Many of them eventually moved there. I did not worry about it at first. However, there were fewer new posts and comments, and the community became quieter. Also, a computer virus was spreading. Warning notices were posted, and webmasters began discussing the issue. I even became afraid of just visiting a website.

Before I knew it, even in August, the cover art was still showing May’s illustration. I kept checking it every month. Then, when I saw a post that said, “Would you like to liven up the site with us again?”, I realized that the community was really fading away.

One day, a cold white screen with a 404 error suddenly appeared. Strangely, I did not cry. I simply thought, “Ah, it was gone.”

Today, my website is filled with the words and designs I chose myself. As a child, I used to visit other people’s websites. Now, I have become a webmaster myself. The place I wanted to return to is nowhere to be found. So I stopped looking for it and built my own instead. Even so, when I update my site, I sometimes remember clicking a small home icon and discovering a stranger’s website.