Leap of Faith crept quietly down the stairs. The villa was already empty. Had they all left for the racetrack already?
Golden Sixty had said she'd leave the decision to her—and she'd truly meant it. Not another word, not a single attempt to discuss it further.
As for Sham… she was closer to her, true, but even she respected her choice and understood that entering a race with no chance of victory was meaningless.
Then there were Urban Sea and Agnes Digital—they weren't as familiar, and it wasn't really their place to meddle in someone else's family affairs.
Add to that Faith's deliberate decision to lock herself away today, and the result was her drifting through the old house like a ghost, utterly alone.
Leap of Faith looked at the empty living room and let out a self-mocking laugh.
Wasn't this exactly what she'd wanted?
So why was she wallowing in self-pity now?
Was she going to blame others for not pulling her back at a time like this?
She snatched a cushion from the sofa, wanting to hurl it violently to the floor, but then bit her lip hard and slowly lowered her hand.
How pathetic.
What had she become?
Anyway… she'd just wait here quietly until the race was over, endure a few more agonizing days with Golden Sixty, and then fly back to Japan.
Run far away from all this. Never come back.
A family like this… a place like this…
Faith leaned back softly against the sofa. Right here, in this very spot, she and Golden Sixty used to snuggle together, watching the same tired TV dramas day after day, the air filled with the scent of aging wood.
Damn it, damn it, damn it! Didn't she promise not to think about her? Faith wiped her cheek and realized her face was already wet. Without noticing, those worthless tears had started falling.
Why were her memories flooded with that infuriating woman?
She'd always been so loud, so overbearing, so domineering—so why had she let go so easily this time?
"Why… don't you just… drag me along…"
As if she'd been deeply wronged, even though Faith didn't want to feel this way, the tears kept falling on their own.
Just then, there was the sound of a key turning in the front door. Faith, flustered like a thief caught in the act, quickly wiped her face, rubbed her eyes, and turned her back to the entrance.
"Agh, sorry, sorry, my bad… I've never worn a racing uniform before, so I totally forgot…"
A lazy voice carried from the doorway, followed by the sound of shoes dropping on the floor, footsteps, and the jingling of keys.
"Alright, alright, I know. Uncle Francis is waiting outside for me. I'll grab it and head right over…"
Platinum, phone tucked between her ear and shoulder, paused awkwardly when she saw Faith sitting in the living room with her back turned.
Those trembling shoulders… She's clearly crying, right? Absolutely crying.
…Was her timing that bad? Should she turn around and come back after Faith had finished?
Now that she thought about it, she had been wondering why she hadn't seen Faith around. And nobody else had mentioned her either.
Yes, this girl, Platinum, was completely out of the loop.
Everyone else either knew, tacitly accepted, or was aware of the situation between Leap of Faith and Golden Sixty.
They knew Faith had chosen to withdraw from the race. It was an unspoken understanding among them.
But Platinum didn't know.
"Platinum, did you forget something?" Faith turned around, eyes red, trying to act as if she hadn't been crying, forcing a cheerful tone. "Then hurry up. The race is about to start, right? It'll take a while to drive there from here."
At a moment like this, she couldn't bring herself to say that she'd only come back because she'd forgotten her racing uniform.
Platinum hesitated, torn between minding her own business and pressing further. Finally, she asked, "Then… what about you?"
"Aren't you going?"
"Isn't this the only time you and your sister are both entered in the same race?"
Platinum really didn't want to get involved in this messy business… but since she'd stumbled right into it, saying nothing felt wrong.
Leap of Faith—though she was usually the one sticking to Platinum like glue—was, after all, one of her few friends.
Platinum sighed inwardly. She'd always tried, consciously or not, to keep her distance from others. But Faith seemed to pop up wherever she was, as if she respawned right beside her. They'd grown somewhat close, she supposed.
Faced with a Faith like this, if Platinum could just ignore it, that would really be too cold.
I've withdrawn. I decided not to go… The words stuck in Faith's throat, refusing to come out.
What did she herself even want? She couldn't understand her own feelings anymore.
Was she throwing a tantrum against Golden Sixty? Or was she angry with herself?
Watching Faith remain silent, Platinum lowered her head slightly, thought for a moment, and then continued:
"I think… it's better if you go."
"If this is your only chance, if you miss it now, you might regret it later."
"—What would you know?"Faith was like a water balloon filled to bursting, and Platinum's words pierced a hole in her. All her pent-up emotions finally found a release.
"You're all talented. You're born knowing how to run, born fast, born to stand on that stage."
"I have no talent. I'm not cut out for racing. Why does everyone insist on dragging me along? To be your foil? Your backdrop?"
"My whole life, I've always lost. In front of Golden Sixty, I've never won even once…"Faith clutched her head. "Do you have any idea what that feels like?"
"Does my existence only serve to prove how much better all of you are? Is that it?"
"I just don't want to be the supporting act anymore. What's so wrong about that?"
Halfway through, Faith stared blankly at Platinum, shuddered as if waking from a dream.
"…I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean that…"
What had she just said to Platinum?
Had she been using Platinum as a punching bag? How despicable. How shameful.
Would Platinum hate her now?
But the reaction she expected didn't come. Platinum just stood there calmly in front of her, as if she hadn't heard a word.
Are you kidding? Compared to the all-out, generation-spanning, ancestral-line-insulting personal attacks she faced online when holding forth passionately, did what Faith just said even count as an offense?
Platinum hadn't even registered it.
But on another level, Platinum did realize something.
Leap of Faith was starting to walk down the same path she once had.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.