Back in elementary school, I found a kitten at the school gate.
Summer break was just around the corner, and the typhoon season had brought endless days of rain.
Water cascaded from the eaves like a motionless curtain, while thick, humid steam clogged our lungs and hearts, making every breath a struggle.
That afternoon, I spotted the cat tucked inside a cardboard box. She was no fancy breed—just a little orange tabby dotted with white patches, soaked to the bone and shivering helplessly in her soggy container.
Sure, the weather was muggy, but that didn't help a drenched kitten.
With the temperature dropping hard at night, I wasn't sure she'd make it till morning.
I knew right away someone had left her there on purpose. Grade-schoolers could be both strangely cruel and unexpectedly kind—sooner or later, someone was bound to take her in.
And well… that someone turned out to be me. With a sigh, I crouched down, wrapped the damp little thing in the hem of my skirt, and carried her home, my heart uneasy the whole way.
I knew my family wouldn't let me keep her. Our home always felt gloomy, weighed down by too many rules.
As long as Grandpa was around, even my parents hardly spoke up. And Grandpa himself—he always wore that stern, grim expression whenever he looked at me.
Only my older sister ever took my side.
But that tiny, drenched body and those pleading wet eyes were seared into my mind. I couldn't forget them.
"Why did you bring this filthy thing into the house? And you've ruined your school skirt! What will you wear tomorrow?"
My mother's voice was sharp. The trembling kitten sat on the table while I stared hard at my own shoes.
See? This is exactly what I expected.
"Go on, throw it out—… Actually, fine. Give it something to eat, then take it to a pet shop. How about that?"
Her tone softened, as if she were negotiating, putting on a show of kindness like she'd made some grand compromise.
But she knew—just like I did—that a common cat like this wouldn't be accepted anywhere. In the end, it'd still be left out on the streets.
Grown-ups were like that. They acted like they were meeting you halfway, but nothing really changed. They just assumed kids were easy to fool.
So I bit my lip, stared down at my skirt, and mumbled in a voice barely louder than a whisper, "Just a few days… Let me keep her for a few days, Mom."
At least let her stay until the typhoon passed. If she stayed out in this rain, she'd die.
And more likely than not—even before the rain took her—something else would.
My mother's voice rose again. "Faith, are you even listening to me? What do you mean, 'a few days'?"
"Is that how I raised you? Where's your sense of responsibility? Do you think keeping a pet is something you count in days?"
That's not it…
I wanted to explain, to defend myself, but before I could get a word out, she cut me off, louder still.
"Tomorrow, you take that thing right back where you found it. Understood?"
It's not like that… I looked toward my sister, my eyes pleading for help. All throughout my childhood, she was my hero—always stepping in to shield me.
My sister was outstanding, far more than I'd ever be. Even Grandpa treated her kindly. I never resented her for it. She was good to me, and she deserved it all. I figured some people were just born to shine.
She was in middle school already, standing a full head taller than me. She wasn't a kid anymore—more like a young woman.
Her dark blue hair fell carelessly behind her as she grinned, walked over, and patted my head.
"Faith, just listen to Mom. If you want a pet, I'll take you to the pet shop another day. It doesn't have to be this one."
"Strays like this carry all kinds of sickness. You probably can't even keep it alive."
"At the pet shop, you can pick a much prettier cat—one with long, soft fur, one that loves to cuddle, with the softest ears… You can choose any one you like, okay?"
"Mom, how about it?" She turned to our mother. "Consider it my reward for winning my last race."
I stared at her, stunned. I couldn't believe what she was saying.
So in your eyes—I'm just a capricious child, acting on a whim?
You pamper me with what you think is understanding, Sis, but… do you really love me? Or just the idea of the little sister you imagine I am?
From that moment on, my hypocritical older sister made me deeply uncomfortable. It felt… disgusting.
I shoved her hand off my head, stormed up the stairs, and slammed my bedroom door, as if that could somehow release the anger. I threw myself onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably, my cries tearing from the depths of my chest…
Leap of Faith slapped the alarm clock on her bedside table, then brought her hand back to cover her eyes.
She lay sprawled in bed, the sunlight outside already glaring. No typhoon warnings this time—just a full month of clear skies ahead.
"Why did I have to dream about that…" she whispered into the quiet room.
Such a distant memory. So old she'd nearly forgotten it ever happened.
Her own childhood stubbornness, her sister who'd misunderstood and shone too brightly, her mother who had little patience for a child's whims…
It was hard to say whose fault it really was, but in the clashes between them, their family had fallen apart. In the end, unable to bear the tension any longer, she'd run off to Japan like a deserter.
Now that she thought about it… what ever happened to that cat, anyway?
She couldn't recall. The memory was too foggy, too far gone—no matter how hard she tried to look back, only haze remained.
Guess Mom was right about me after all, she thought. An irresponsible, selfish, and arrogant kid.
With a self-mocking smile, Leap of Faith rose gently from the bed and glanced at the calendar on her nightstand.
Oh, right. Today's the day…
That special race event her sister had invited the Uma Musume to participate in.
But it had nothing to do with her anymore. Even with the invitation in hand, without a proper racing outfit, she couldn't set foot on the track.
So when Golden Sixty invited her—one last chance to compete together—Leap of Faith decided she wouldn't run.
Selfish, arrogant, and a coward to boot. That was Leap of Faith—through and through.
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