A spring day in California's Napa Valley, where golden sunlight dyes the vineyards.
In stark contrast to the endlessly spreading green grape fields that dazzle the eyes.
"So you're saying you're going out of business? Huh?"
People shouting in agitation, people collapsing as if the sky were falling, and Mom and Dad staring blankly.
It would be normal for all of this to feel unsettling and make one's heart tremble, but I was simply bewildered.
'Why am I…? Why did I come back again?'
Unlike my confusion, the atmosphere in the front yard of the old wooden farm office located at the heart of Redwood Vineyard was extremely grim.
All of this was because of the vineyard owner, John Anderson, as he stepped heavily onto the small platform in the yard. John ran a hand through his signature rough beard and pulled down his worn leather cowboy hat.
After letting out a deep sigh and looking over the crowd, he gave a bitter smile.
"Everyone, whenever I looked upon this land, I always felt pride and gratitude. This Napa Valley has been the home my family has embraced for nearly fifty years, and Redwood Vineyard was like my very soul."
John's voice was low and weighty, trembling ever so slightly. His blue eyes wavered, unable to hide his emotions.
"But as you all know, these beautiful vineyards have not been kind to us these past few years. Severe climate change that has continued for three years, sudden outbreaks of pests and disease, and rapid changes in the wine market… all of it has slowly tightened its grip around our small vineyard."
Some workers lowered their gazes, deep shadows falling across their faces, while the men in suits standing at the edge of the vineyard glared at John with cold eyes.
Those in worn, comfortable clothes were the laborers who had worked on this vineyard, and the men in suits were likely investors.
John removed his leather hat and clenched it tightly in his hand as he continued. His expression was thick with regret and lingering sorrow.
"Honestly, I wanted to hold on longer. But the debts we owe the bank have already grown beyond what we can bear, and our investors are unwilling to provide any further funding. In the end, I had no choice but to make this decision. As of today, Redwood Vineyard will be closing its doors."
At his resolute declaration, deeply steeped in sorrow, the yard fell silent.
In the heavy stillness that settled over everything, I watched my father's shoulders slump and felt my heart beat with a crushing weight.
John slowly looked around at the people and steadied his voice.
"All of this is the responsibility of me, the owner of this farm. Please forgive the wounds and losses I have caused you through my poor judgment. I desperately wish there were still hope to revive this vineyard, but… it was beyond my ability."
Having finished speaking, John bowed his head deeply. A spring breeze swept across the vineyards stretching into the distance, rustling the leaves of the grapevines.
And then I…
'I'm back. Twenty-five years ago….'
I couldn't believe the situation unfolding before me.
"You're up already? Won-il? You didn't even need to be woken?"
Before it was even eight o'clock, my mother looked at me with surprise as I finished getting ready for school and came out.
"Just… I'm about to graduate high school soon. I should start acting like a proper person."
"Oh my, oh my—our son's all grown up now?"
Back then, Mom was still healthy. Since it hadn't even been two years since we immigrated to the United States, her skin hadn't sagged much yet, and her eyes were bright.
Though she must have felt deep disappointment over the farm—where she had barely managed to find work and settle down—going under, she didn't show it much, perhaps so as not to worry her son.
Before the regression, I couldn't see any of that. I only hated watching my father, who had fled to America after failing in business, struggling on the farm despite everything.
In my youth, I deliberately looked away and pretended not to notice. It was only after I worked as an accountant in New York, and then returned to California when my father collapsed, that I began to take an interest in agriculture.
"Farming? You're going to farm in this day and age? Are you out of your mind?"
At the time, my wife had left for New York, and I stayed by my mother's side as the only one left, studying agriculture.
I went on to earn a PhD in agricultural science from Cornell University and conducted countless studies related to farming, but after sending my mother off due to illness, life lost all meaning.
Exhausted and living in loneliness, I closed my eyes one day… and now that I've returned like this, I felt something indescribable.
The lethargy was gone, and it felt as though energy was flowing through my body again.
"Is there anything I can help with?"
Just seeing my mother's lively face made me grateful for everything, and I couldn't help but smile.
"What could you possibly help with? We're not even going out to the farm for a while."
"Oh, right. Then where's Dad?"
"He went to look for work at another farm. There's got to be at least one farm around here that's hiring, right? Don't worry too much."
Just as Mom said, my parents found a farm where they could work before long, and they stayed there for more than ten years.
"Okay. I'm heading out."
"Alright. Study hard. If anyone says anything, just pretend you didn't hear it—don't fight. It could turn into a big problem. You know that, right?"
"I told you not to worry. Everyone's nice. Nothing like that will happen."
That was a lie.
There were kind people, but racism exists everywhere, and school is a place where still-immature personalities are gathered together.
"Alright, my son… have a good day~"
"Mhm."
Vintage High School in Napa Valley, California.
The school I attended… no, the school I attend.
With over 1,500 students, a diverse mix of races, and a fairly balanced structure of academics and extracurricular activities, it's a comprehensive high school.
A comprehensive high school means that both general academic courses and specialized vocational programs are operated within the same school, so students could also receive education in fields like culinary arts, the hotel and food service industry, and agriculture.
'Sigh… he'll probably hurt his back farming again, and his fingers will get bent and stiff….'
Even after class began, the blackboard didn't register at all, and I sat there absentmindedly lost in thought.
Mr. Miller, the teacher, was standing at the front holding a piece of chalk and explaining cell structure.
"Everyone, what you see here are the cell wall and the cell membrane. These two parts serve to protect plant cells."
The students were either taking notes in their notebooks or quietly listening to the lesson, and Woo-seok, sitting in the back row, wore a slightly bored expression as he listened while doodling here and there along the edge of his notebook.
'I don't want to be an accountant again. If I'm going to work, I'd rather do it myself.'
I didn't want to make them sacrifice themselves anymore under the excuse of doing it for their son.
Then—
"Brian, are you paying attention?"
Startled, I snapped my head up to see Mr. Miller smiling as he asked.
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry."
"Alright then. Could you briefly explain the function of chloroplasts in plant cells?"
"Uh… chloroplasts are organelles that produce the energy plant cells need through photosynthesis. They take in sunlight and convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose."
Since it wasn't particularly difficult content, Mr. Miller broke into a grin and raised a finger to point at me.
"That's an accurate explanation. Let's keep focusing!"
"Yes."
Feeling slightly flustered, I fixed my gaze back on the teacher, but before long my mind started to wander again.
The tedious class finally ended, and just as I stood up to head out for lunch—
"Brian!"
That painfully cringeworthy name was my English name. Brian, instead of my real name, Choi Woo-seok…
I turned toward the voice and saw a delicate-looking Asian girl approaching me.
"Uh… yeah. What's up?"
A girl I almost, but not quite, remembered.
"What do you mean, 'what's up'? We were supposed to turn in our group assignment by this morning. I couldn't reach you, so I came to find you myself."
"Reach me?"
"I sent you a message. Didn't you see it?"
I glanced around my desk and then realized it. I'd left my old phone at home—the kind that didn't do anything except make calls and send texts.
And then it came back to me. The cute girl standing in front of me was Rachel, a Taiwanese student—her English pronunciation wasn't great, but she was very smart.
"Ah… sorry. I left my phone at home."
"Then what about the assignment?"
I almost asked what assignment she was talking about, but stopped myself and put on an awkward expression. Rachel crossed her arms and let out a sigh.
"Seriously? Is this how you're going to be? You said you'd look into tax and accounting majors."
Only then did an old memory surface.
Back in my senior year of high school, we had formed a group made up of Asian students and each researched college pathways. Since I'd been interested in tax and accounting at the time, I'd taken responsibility for that part.
"I kind of forgot today. Can't I give it to you tomorrow?"
"You did look into it, right?"
"Of course I did."
I'd probably already gathered the materials. If I looked for them, they'd be there. And even if they weren't, I could just research it starting now.
Besides, even without looking anything up, I already knew a lot from experience.
"Then you're coming to the after-school study group today, right?"
"... Sorry, but I think I need to head home early today."
"What's going on? You're acting strange today."
"Me? In what way?"
She stared at me intently for a moment before speaking.
"Do you know how half-hearted you sound? Your tone and everything… You were the one who put this study group together, and you were always the most dedicated."
Now I remembered what kind of study group it was.
And… I also remembered another Asian girl who was part of that group—the woman who would become my wife in my previous life.
But right now, I had neither the leeway nor the desire to see her.
"Rachel, it's not like that. Something urgent really came up at home."
"Really? Hmm… alright."
Though we weren't especially close, seeing friends I was gradually starting to remember made my sense of reality awaken in real time.
After coming back, it had felt like I was watching a brief movie, just letting things flow by. But as I slowly began to realize that this place I was living in now was reality, my heart started pounding hard.
From then on, I did nothing but wait for school to end. It was always like this when I studied, but time crawled unbearably slowly….
When classes finally ended, I hopped on the bicycle I'd left in front of the school and pedaled like a madman. I just wanted to get home as fast as possible.
"Dad! Dad!"
The moment I arrived home, I tossed my bike aside and ran into the house, where I saw my parents sitting at the dining table, talking.
"Why are you home so early?"
I could feel from the heavy atmosphere that they'd been having a serious conversation just moments ago, but Mom forced a bright expression. It seemed she didn't want to show her son how grave things were.
I threw my backpack down in the living room, plopped into a chair at the table, and looked straight into my dad's and mom's eyes as I spoke.
"Don't look for a new farm."
"What are you talking about?"
My father, his hair streaked with gray, asked.
"You're looking for a place to work. Let's not do that."
"What are you talking about? We have to find work. Otherwise, how are we supposed to earn money and live?"
"At best, we'd only be making just enough each month to barely survive."
"What are you even saying…?"
"Let's take over Redwood Vineyard. Let's grow that farm ourselves."
Dad and Mom stared at me with eyes full of disbelief, unable to understand.