If I go anon on an already published work could people still see my past replies in the comments? / First time actually considering going anon or closing my comment section

It's 3am where I am but I couldn't sleep. I have just updated the 20th chapter of my story with around 300k words, and I was super excited to post it. However I immediately recieved a comment saying that they hated it and that they're dropping it. I won't go into much detail but basically they were attacking me as a person for writing content like this.

I explained to them my choices, and said I'm sorry that they didn't like the direction of my story. But still I felt a bit down.

I guess for the first time ever I'm thinking of closing the comments. I want to be clear I do not blame the reader, this is just me reconsidering my choices.

This is a fic that is very dead dovey in general, and I had all of it tagged. I thought that people who disliked content like this might not read it at all, so I never considered closing the comment section or going anon because it's already ao3. I've always followed the don't like don't read rule myself, and if i read a fic I didn't like I would just click out of it.

However I have come to realize that creating content like this is doomed to have situations like these, and I would like to spare myself of future pain.

The problem I have is that I have already replied to various previous comments before under each chapter, so you could see my username very clearly.

if I add this fic to an anon collection, will that icon turn into anon, or will my actual profile still be visible?

Really I should just stop typing on my phone and try it myself to know. I just can't sleep and feel like venting.

Writing fanfic had always been fun but then sometimes it gets tough. I don't ever delete comments unless they're bots because someone actually took the time to type it out and I appreciate everyone reading my fic. This is my first time getting such a negative comment. My friend said I could just delete it, but I am very torn on what to do. I feel that if I delete it I had lost, but if I keep it I would have to constantly justify myself and my fic.

I am rambling and a bit all over the place right now. I am petty and did consider adding don't like don't read to the tags, but I thought that might come across as a bit too much.

When I am in a state well enough to sort out my thoughts maybe I will have to close my comment section after all. It's such a pity because comments are rare to come by and I love them, but alas.