Chapter 3: Jin's Stepsisters are Idiots

...As Jin scrubbed the marble flooring, he could hear the annoying squeals of his step-sisters nearing. It seems that they had rushed back from town after another outing of shopping and flirting, except this time, it might’ve been successful, unless they were back to rant about some ‘disgusting, brutish peasant,” again. At this thought, Jin scrubbed the floor more vigorously, redirecting his annoyance to something more helpful....

...“Mother! Mother!!! The prince is having a ball!!!” They screeched excitedly. Now this got Jin’s attention. Was Namjoon really right? Was the ball really available to the whole kingdom? He listened in, finished with his current task. ...

...Their voices echoed throughout the otherwise silent house. “Really? A ball?” Jin could hear his step-mother ask. In fact, he could already hear the gears turning in her head, thinking of all the ways to set up royal marriages for his step-sisters....

...“Not just any ball! A masquerade ball!” Valentina added....

...“Yes! In celebration of his 18th birthday, the prince is having a masquerade ball, in which he is to try to find a suitor!” Madeleine squealed....

...“And the whole kingdom is invited! Oh my, so many people are coming, to witness  my  wedding,” Valentina swooned. ...

...“Oh my God, she can’t actually be serious, right?” Jin muttered to himself, letting out a derisive snort. ...

...Madeleine let out an incredulous gasp. “ Your  wedding?! No, it’s going to be  my  wedding!” Jin rolled his eyes. ...

...He could hear Valentina roar and the attempted placation of his step-mother. “Girls, please. Poised and proper ladies do not fight!” She said, only to be ignored by the quarreling idiots.  ...

...“I mean, they’re not poised  or  proper, so I guess you’re finally right about one thing,” Jin commented in his mind, chuckling outwardly....

...“I’m obviously much more charming than  you ! Of course the prince is going to choose me!” Madeleine asserted....

...“As a prize pig at the fair, maybe. No, that’s an insult to pigs,” Jin thought, immediately correcting himself. ...

...“As soon as he sees  me  enter the ballroom, he will propose to me right then and there, because of how beautiful I am and we’ll dance the night away!” Valentina boasted pompously. ...

...“Maybe you’ll break his feet away,” Jin added mentally. Jin pitied the poor prince who would have to deal with those two at the ball. “I think they really will turn him gay,” Jin pondered to himself....

...“How will he even think you’re beautiful if you’re covering your face?!” Madeleine retorted with a sneer. ...

...“It’s  because  I’m covering my face!” Valentina countered, roaring. ...

...Upon hearing this, Jin let out a loud windshield wiper laugh, unable to hold it in. Thankfully, his step-mother hadn’t yelled at him, probably assuming that he had moved on to clean the windows. ...

...It seems that she had had enough of her daughter’s arguing though, as she yelled, “Girls, enough! Jinderella! Come here!” ...

...With a sigh, Jin got up, cracking his back due to the long time he had spent hunched over, cleaning the floors. He headed over to the dining room, where he found his step-sisters with matching disheveled appearances and crossed arms, mulishly looking away from each other, whilst his step-mother sat primly on a chair, waiting for him to arrive. ...

...“Yes, ma’am?” Jin asked patiently....

...“Go tell the tailor to make three dresses and masks for the ball. Go! Quick! Hurry before she gets flooded with work!” She ordered, shooing him away....

...And off Jin went, just another task on his laundry list of chores. “At least I don’t have to make their dresses for them,” Jin thought, counting his blessings. ...

...And if he came back with tuxedo patterns concealed in his hands and a smile on his face, nobody had to know except him, the mice, and Gloss....

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