BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 44: courage through him

<OST: Winter Flower - Younha ft. RM>

"Are you too tired?" Jimin asked Jennie as he massaged her shoulders. "You just recovered, don't overexert yourself - if you feel tired, just let me know. I'll tell gamdong-nim to let you take a break."

Jennie shook her head as she lifted her head for the makeup artist to help her touch up her makeup. "It's okay, oppa. I'm fine, I'm even stronger than before. I already wasted so much of everyone's time - I need to work even harder from now on."

"I know-" Jimin nodded with a concerned frown on his face. "Just don't push yourself too far. You don't want to harm your body and push the filming back again, do you? Safety and health first."

"Actors and actresses... standby!"

"Don't worry, oppa-" Jennie patted Jimin's hand on her shoulder as she got to her feet once more. "I won't overexert myself - I know my limits."

Jennie got to her feet, as Joy, Yeri and the actors acting as the people from the palace entered the frame first and got ready for the scene. It was their eighth and final time filming the scene, from a different angle every time.

"Scene 56! Take 8! Cameras rolling... and... action!"

"The glass slippers fits neither of you..." Sungjae, who was acting as Prince Charming, said. "Is there no one else from this household that was there at the ball that night? I have combed the entire city, yet I have yet to find the owner of this pair of glass slippers."

"There's no one else from this household, Your Honour!" Joy exclaimed. "At least - no one who could possibly have been at the ball last night."

"Which means to say-" Sungjae narrowed his eyes. "There is someone else who stays here, except she wasn't invited to the ball last night. Is that true?"

Joy and Yeri exchanged glances and lowered their heads guiltily.

Sungjae got to his feet. "Bring her here at once!"

The guards by his side left the frame and put their arms around Jennie's, dragging her towards the prince and pushing her to the ground. Jennie felt her ankle buckle slightly, but thank goodness, she was alright.

"This is the maiden we found locked up in the cellar, Your Honour. What would you like to do with her?"

"What kind of disrespect is this?" Sungjae scolded his guards as he hurriedly reached forward and helped Jennie onto a chair. "I'm so sorry for that treatment, my lady. Please have a seat, and I would like you to try on this pair of glass slippers."

"What's the point?" Yeri said agitatedly. "Cinderella wasn't at the ball last night! This is ridiculous!"

"Yeah, Cinderella!" Joy pushed Jennie's head with a finger. "We told you to stay home last night, didn't we? Have you cleaned my shoes? How dare you even try on this beautiful pair of glass slippers-"

"Quiet!" Sungjae yelled as he lifted his head and glared at Joy and Yeri. "I still haven't punished you both for leaving her out of my ball- how dare you treat her like that? Is she your servant?"

Joy and Yeri lowered their heads and took a step back.

"No, Your Honour-" Jennie said quietly. "They are my stepsisters - Anastasia and Drizella."