Jin's Dream

Once upon a time, a young man named Jin de Rella lived with his stepmother and two stepbrothers. Poor Jin had to work hard all day long so the others could rest. It was he who had to wake up each morning when it was still dark and cold to start the fire. It was he who cooked the meals. It was he who kept the fire going. The poor guy could not stay clean from all the ashes and cinders by the fire.

Aside from doing all the household chores, Jin also had to bear the constant bullying from his lazy stepbrothers, Bruno and Pancho.

"Look at him, brother. Do you really think someone will be crazy enough to marry a mess like him?" exclaimed Bruno.

The two mean brothers were doing some push ups in the frontyard to show off their toned biceps to the innocent passerby. And also to annoy Jin, who is almost done with the laundry.

Pancho laughed and cast Jin a mocking glance. "The only woman he can attract is another dirty slave like him."

Jin stayed quiet the entire time. The two mean brothers thought that they won that round, not knowing that Jin already had a plan in mind.

Few more hours, and it's lunchtime already.

Pancho and Bruno smiled greedily when they arrived at the dining room. They smelled the aroma of Jin's mouth watering dish all the way from the living room.

The two huge men started to eat immediately. They didn't even wait for their mother to settle in her chair.

"Boys, next time you should at least wait for m---" the mother's sermon was cut off by her son's screams.

"JIN DE RELLA!!!!!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU PUT IN THIS DISH?!!!!!!!"

Pancho and Bruno rush to grab the pitcher of water. They scramble to get the water they badly need to quench the fire in their mouth.

Jin can't help but laugh while cleaning in the kitchen.

"What's the point of having those huge muscles if they can't even take the combination of a few chilis and spoonfuls of pepper?" Jin whispered while staring at the mouse who constantly visits the kitchen area. "I'm such a smart guy, right, Micey?"

"And do you really think that I'll let you get away with this?"

Jin's back stiffened upon hearing his stepmother's stern voice. "Stepmother, they started it. I just------"

"I don't care about your reason! A slave like you doesn't have the right to disobey or speak against your masters!"

"But I'm not a slave, stepmother. This is my house also. We're a family."

"You're not my son. And your late father gave me the full rights to this entire estate. If you don't agree with that, the door is open! No one is forcing you to stay here!"

Jin lowered his head and tried his best to control his emotions. He doesn't want to endure their awful treatment, but he no longer have any family left who can help him. There's nowhere else for him to go to.

"I'm stuck in this place." he thought.

His silence made the stepmother smile triumphantly. Of course, she doesn't want Jin to leave the household. Who would want to lose such a valuable slave?

The punishment for Jin's little revenge is to spend another evening without eating dinner.

His stomach grumbles , but Jin can't do anything but sighs.

Micey looked up at him.

"Don't worry, Micey. No matter how hungry I am, I won't eat you or your friends. You're safe with me because I'm a nice guy. And to be honest, you don't really look tasty, my small friend."

Micey decided to ignore him and followed the other mice who went inside the hole that they call home.

Jin sits near the window. His room is located in the attic, and one of his little happiness in life is to have a window that allows him to view the majestic palace from afar. It allows him to escape and use his imagination.

"I wonder how it feels like to live and work in the palace!"

Jin's dream is to become a royal chef, but his stepmother forbids him in continuing his education. All they want him to do is to work for them.

"I hope that I will be able to pursue my dream someday."

One day, big news came to town. The King and Queen were going to have a ball! It was time for Princess Eunice to find a groom. All of the young men in the land were invited to come. The entire kingdom brimmed with excitement and joy!

At Jin de Rella’s house, he now had extra work to do. He had to make two brand-new suits for his stepbrothers. Apparently, being an in-house tailor is now part of his job description.

“Faster! You still need to shine my shoes after that!” Bruno shouted.

“This coat doesn't emphasize my body properly! The princess won't notice me if I wear this trash! Fix this, Jin de Rella!" Pancho screamed after throwing the coat at him.

Jin closed his eyes and prayed for more self-control.

"How about you just attend the ball without anything on? I'm sure the princess will definitely notice you!" he whispered.

"Are you saying something, Jin de Rella?" his stepmother raised an eyebrow.

“Oh nothing, stepmother!” said Jin. “I'm just wondering when can I–“

The stepmother marched closer to him. “When can you WHAT?”

“Well,” Jin gulped before continuing, “when will I have time to make my own suit for the ball?”

“You?” yelled the stepmother. “Who said YOU were going to the ball?”

“Is that a joke, Jin de Rella?!!!” Pancho said.

Bruno pretended to touch Jin's forehead as if checking his temperature. "Mother, I think our poor slave is sick. He's delirious and getting hallucinations now."

All of them laughed at Jin.

"You can daydream all you want Jin de Rella, but keep in mind that a slave like you doesn't have the right to step into the palace," his stepmother said with a condescending tone.

The words they uttered hurt Jin so much, but as always, he doesn't have a choice but to remain silent. For now.

"Someday, I will definitely escape this place and pursue my dreams." he thought to himself.

Soon, the time came for his stepmother and stepbrothers to leave for the big party. Their fine carriage came to the door. The three hopped inside excitedly. And they were off.

Jin remained on his spot, unable to turn his gaze away from the disappearing image of the carriage. Sadness is visible on the young man's face. He said aloud, “How I wish I could go to the ball, too!”

Then - Poof!

"Of course, you can!"

The unfamiliar voice startled Jin. All of a sudden, in front of him stood a weird, smiling lady. Her dress, wings and wand are all purple.

Wait, wings and wand?!!!

“What... I mean, who are you?” Jin asked.

“Why, your Fairy Godmother, of course! I know your wish. And I have come to grant it.”

“But…” Jin hesitates. "My wish is impossible."

“Excuse me!” said the Fairy Godmother in a huff. “Did I not just show up out of thin air?”

“Yes, you did,”

“Then let me be the one to say what is possible or not!” Fairy godmother declared confidently.

“Well, I think you know that I want to go to the ball, too.” Jin looked down at his dirty clothes.

“But look at me.”

“You do look a bit of a mess, child,” said the Fairy Godmother.

“Even if I had something nice to wear," said the young man, "I would have no way to get there."

“Dear, all of that is possible,” said the fairy. With that, she tapped her wand on Jin’s head.

"Ouch!" he shouted.

"Oops, sorry dear! I forgot to control my strength. Haha! Let me try it again."

Jin eyed his fairy godmother suspiciously. "Are you really going to help me, fairy godmother, or are you trying to give me a concussion?"

She only smiled at him innocently before tapping her wand again on Jin's head, gently this time.

At once, Jin de Rella's appearance became clean. Not a single trace of dirt or ashes can be seen on his beautiful face. His old clothes were replaced by an elegant white suit fit for a royal prince.

“This is wonderful!”

“Who said I was done?” said the fairy godmother with a smug look. She tapped her wand again. At once, a beautiful carriage came to be, with a driver and four white horses.

“Am I dreaming?”

“It is as real, as real can be, Jin de Rella." the fairy godmother answered. "Now, you have everything you need to attend the ball!"

"Oh, but fairy godmother... I think I need one more thing!"

The fairy frowned. "What is it?"

"Can you please bring out a full-length mirror?"

The fairy obliges and Jin screamed upon seeing his reflection on the mirror.

"Wow! Who is this beautiful creature? Where have you been hiding all this time?!! I'm so perfect...."

"Now, Jin de Rel-----"

"Can you turn my hair into purple? I think that colour will suit me perfectly." he requested.

He squealed upon seeing his new hair colour. "I knew it! Everything looks good on me! How about----"

The fairy rolled her eyes. "Child, do I need to remind you that the grand ball is about to start?" She waved her wand and at once, the huge mirror disappeared into thin air.

"Oh, okay. I should go now."

“But wait, there is one thing you must know.”

“What is that?”

“All of this lasts only until midnight. Once the clock strikes twelve, it will be over, and everything will go back to how it was before.”

Jin sighed. "Awwww... so my fairy godmother's power has an expiration. Well, I guess you need to train more, my fairy godmother to improve your powers. Please, don't slack off."

Fairy godmother looks like she's about to have a migraine, so Jin decided to bid her farewell.

“Then I must be sure to leave the ball before midnight!”

“Good idea,” said the fairy godmother. She stepped back. “My work is done. Why am I so tired? I guess, I need a vacation after this.” And with that, the fairy godmother was gone.

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