1930s South Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, Kim Jisoo is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese-Korean heiress, Jennie Kim, who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle. But the maid has a secret.
Bas...
"I'm not a rotten bitch!" A young Jennie whined, fidgeting and struggling in Sasaki's grip, tears streaming down her dumpling cheeks. "No! No!"
Having heard enough of the child's cries echoing off the walls of the library, Kouzuki, his jet-black hair, all black clothes and dark eyeglasses perched on the end of his nose posed an intimidating appearance, got up from his desk with the set of four golf-sized balls on a tassel firmly in his hand. Stripping off one of the balls, he held it out to Jennie.
"Put it in your mouth, Jennie." Her cries instantly settled, now only whimpering as she stood still in Sasaki's arms. She took the cold, metal ball from her uncle's gloved hand and hesitantly placed it in her mouth.
"Hold out your hand," Kouzuki ordered, a faux gentleness in his voice as he spoke to the child. With her hand outstretched, palm facing down, Kouzuki rested it on his. Raising his right arm high above his head, he struck the metal balls ruthlessly over the girl's knuckles, immediately drawing blood from the skin. Jennie cried hard, the pain unbearable. Grabbing her hand back, he struck her knuckles again.
"Next time you feel like talking back," He said, ignoring the girl's whimpers, "Remember the taste of this metal bead." He tied the string around Jennie's belt, the weight of the balls reminded Jennie of the awful pain.
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Kouzuki nodded in satisfaction as Jennie began to wail once again.
***
Sasaki led Jennie up to her bedroom, the room pitch black aside from the lantern in the woman's hand. "You'll sleep alone from tonight." Jennie shuffled behind Sasaki over to her bed, picking up an empty oil light from the table. "All right?" Sasaki asked in a monotone voice, uncaring for the child.
Jennie hugged her doll tight in her arm. "Please give me a light." Jennie's voice was small and fragile, yet Sasaki was not phased.
"We've been ordered to save oil," The woman said, her eyes never blinking, "You little brat." Sasaki said the last part in Korean.
"Speak Japanese!" Jennie cried. Sasaki only glared at her.
Gesturing over to the sliding door which led to the maid's bed with her lantern, she said, "In there is a man the size of an ogre, who can't stand the sound of girls screaming." Jennie gulped. "If he hears you, he'll burst in through that door after you."
"And then?"
Sasaki leaned down to her height, the lantern glowing on her face made her look ghostly, "He'll smother you with his giant body, so you can't make a sound."
They both looked to the door, Jennie in fear as Sasaki teased the young girl. Suddenly, the door slid open unexpectedly, making both of them scream in shock.
