PART I. SUMMERAIN

PROLOGUE

What is love? I could give you a thousand definitions. I could pore through dictionaries, encyclopedias, novels, articles, the internet, and whatsoever just to come up with an intellectual-sounding answer. I can throw the most romantic lines in those cheesy movies we all love, or sing the sappiest love song that exists.

Now my real question is, how do you know if you’re IN LOVE? What is this phenomenon that everyone’s raving about? What is it about romance which swept the entire world by its feet despite its rather unrealistic whim? How come at my age I haven’t experienced being in a relationship or even this thing called heartbreak? Is love just about the butterflies and giddy feelings someone is able to elicit from you? I have experienced the highest and best form of love that is from God, as well as those from my family and friends. It’s just this romantic cliché that’s left on my list. After that, will I finally get the answers to my questions or will I be left hanging? Will I be one of those who gets her happily ever after or end with a once upon a time?

It’s funny because, yeah…after all those years, love finally came…somewhere in the rain…

2014

HER POV:

The moment has arrived...after so many months of battling it out with 99 other apprentices, the final rank is going to be unveiled. A part of me dreamed of being at least in the Top 10 but I also resigned to the idea that I could place in the lower 90s range.

 100-90...89-70...69-50...49-30...29-19...19-11...and my name hasn't come up yet... is it true?? No, this must be a daydream...impossible..my name will appear on the 10th slot. Yes, I'm the 10th. It's more than what I deserve…

            10-6...still nothing...5-4..none..3..It was down to the last two places. My heart is pounding against my chest and my vision is starting to be blurry. I was well aware of the two cameras right in front of me, filming every nerve twitching and bearing witness to my ever growing anxiety. I could care less because there's one more thing which I couldn't shake up: GREED.

Deep down, I was hoping to be first. After all, in every competition, there is one ultimate goal: to win. I was drowned in my emotions. I felt light headed and when the name of the second placer was shown onscreen, I nearly fainted.

The only thing that registered in my brain was that it wasn't mine. Meaning, I was the victor.

I am the Grand Apprentice.

I won.

            My scores were flashed for everyone to see:

            DANCING                             = 97

            SINGING                               = 97

            ACTING                                 = 99

            DIRECTING                          = 98

            WRITING                               = 98

            COMPOSING                        = 95

            OTHERS                                = 98

            TOTAL                                   : 97.42

I saw my name flash beside the number one slot for a nanosecond before I was blinded by the flashing lights. I felt suffocated and dizzy by the people surrounding me. Camera flashes here and there while random questions were thrown at me.

 A mic was shoved in my hand and it was a miracle I even heard the question: How does it feel to win the prestigious GA?

I was under everyone's scrutiny. I was dizzy and caught up in the moment that the only thing I was able to say was,

"I feel overwhelmed."

Then the world turned black.

            Talk about a dramatic exit.

HIS POV:

Regret. That was the feeling that swept me the moment I saw my name land in second place. For a while, I dared to dream the unreachable. I hoped for the impossible. My pride was soaring higher and higher until it all came crashing down and hit me like an avalanche. I was so close to being first. I was one step away from being proclaimed as the winner…but somewhere along the way, I must’ve done something wrong.

If only I was a point higher or two in some categories, then maybe, just maybe, I had the chance to win. Well, that was all meaningless delusions as soon as the victor’s grades were flashed onscreen.

95, 97, 99, etc etc. The only category I managed to win her over was composition, and that was just a meager 2 point difference!

DANCE                                  = 90

SINGING                               = 94

ACTING                                 = 90

DIRECTING                          = 91

WRITING                               = 90

COMPOSING                         = 97

OTHERS                                = 92

TOTAL                                   : 92

            Reality crashed down on me hard…my 92 average didn’t stand a chance against her 97.42. The margin was just too wide. But wait…what was the name of that apprentice? Seo Joo Hyun? Seohyun? Joohyun? MY Hyun?! She’s here?!

What..when..how..why? My mind was clouded with so many questions and I couldn’t even comprehend what the reporters were saying. Cameras, the crowd, so many people saying so man