Cinderfella [KageHina]

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom ruled by a kind king and queen, a young boy named Hinata lived. He was kindhearted and gentle, with messy orange hair and a radiant smile. However, his life was far from a fairytale. Hinata lived with his wicked stepfamily, led by his cruel step-mother and two cold-hearted step-sisters, Yachi and Yamaguchi. They treated Hinata like a servant, burdening him with endless chores and mocking his dreams.

Despite this, he would continue to dream of finding love somewhere, and escape this place. Little did he know, fate had a remarkable surprise in store for him.

As the kingdom prepared for an extravagant ball, a ball that would be attended by royalty and nobility from far and wide, Hinata's step-family received an invitation to the grand event. However, they had no intention of allowing Hinata to join them. They wanted to bask in the glory and attention without Hinata, leaving him behind to fulfill his usual duties.

"I'm so excited to go to the ball!!! The Prince is gonna be sooooo dreamy!" Yamaguchi gushed.

Yachi rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I can't stand this prince hype," she muttered. "I don't care how dreamy he is, it's just a ball."

"Yeah whatever, blondie," Yamaguchi told her.

Tsuki scoffed, crossing her arms. "At least I'm not the one who drools over princes. You're such a cliché."

Hinata couldn't help but eavesdrop, his heart racing with a mixture of excitement and worry. The mention of a ball piqued his interest, but he knew too well that his step-family would never let him attend such an event.

As Yachi and Yamaguchi continued their conversation, Hinata pressed his ear closer to the door, straining to hear more details. He couldn't help but wonder if there was a chance, no matter how slim, that he could escape his mundane life for just one night and experience the magic of a ball.

"Hinata! What are you doing? Have you finished your chores?" His evil step mother, Daichi, asked him.

Hinata's heart skipped a beat as he heard his wicked step-mother's voice. Quickly, he stepped away from the door, trying to act as if he hadn't been eavesdropping. He turned to face Daichi, keeping his face neutral. "Almost done, step-mother," he replied meekly. "Just a few more tasks to accomplish."

Daichi scrutinized Hinata, her sharp eyes narrowing with suspicion. She knew Hinata harbored dreams of freedom and escaping their grasp, but she made it her mission to crush his hopes at every turn. "Make sure you don't dawdle," she scolded. "I expect everything to be spotless by the time we return from the ball."

"Oh yes! The ball! About that..." Hinata said nervously.

Daichi raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "What about the ball?" she asked, her tone cold and menacing. "You better not be thinking of ways to weasel your way into attending."

"Actually, I was gonna ask you.. if I could go?"

Daichi's facial features hardened as Hinata requested to attend the ball. She wanted nothing more than to deny him immediately, but an evil thought crossed her mind. A wicked smirk tugged at the corners of her lips as she contemplated a cruel ploy—a plan to make Hinata believe he had a glimmer of hope, only to snatch it away at the last moment.
"Very well," she said, feigning reluctance. "If you manage to finish your chores by noon, I'll allow you to attend the ball."

Hinata's eyes lit up. "Really! Oh my goodness, thank you step mother! I'll get to it right away."

Daichi's heart coiled with malice as she watched Hinata's face light up with hope. She enjoyed the power trip, knowing that she would crush his dreams later on. "Don't thank me yet," she spat. "You have two hours to finish your chores, and if everything isn't spotless, you won't see a single step inside that ball."

Hinata nodded eagerly, his determination stronger than ever. He rushed to finish his chores, feeling this newfound hope fueling his every movement. As he worked, time seemed to move in a blur, and by noon, he stood before his step-family, beaming with pride at his accomplishment. "I'm finished, step-mother! Everything is spotless!"

Daichi's heart sank, realizing that Hinata had managed to finish his chores with time to spare. But she refused to let go of her malicious plan. Instead, she continued to act indifferent, her face void of any emotion. "Is that so?" she said curtly. "Well, I suppose since you've finished, you may attend the ball then."

Hinata couldn't contain his excitement. His dreams were finally coming true, and he was one step closer to escaping his wretched existence. "Really? I can go? Thank you!" he exclaimed, his gratitude genuine. Little did he know that his step-mother had a cruel surprise in store for him.