Chapter 57 - Count McChonkster and Kevin C. Cucumber

                                    

                                          
"Excuse me. Pardon me," Hayato said, slipping past the other students who blocked the path. It was a spacious train, but it was hard to navigate when he had to carry his luggage everywhere.
                          
After stage two of the exams, the boy had decided to tour Sapporo with some of his classmates. He would've liked to have spent it with his girlfriend, but he knew Kiyoko would want to spend time with her cousin as well. Besides, Hayato was learning to make friends on his own!
                          
Hold your head up and smile, he reminded himself and nodded respectfully to a group of students as he passed. It was something Kiyoko said to him often early on, even before they started dating, and it had done wonders for his confidence (and posture). Hayato might not be perfect, but he wanted to be a man worthy of Kiyoko!
                          
Fifteen years he'd spent in his shell. And now that he'd finally found a reason to break out of it, Hayato hoped to become a... butterfly, or something like that. Perhaps a duck? He liked ducks, and he wouldn't mind being a duck if it made Kiyoko happy.
                          
Lost in his thoughts, Hayato didn't realize he'd wandered off from the main car until he found himself face-to-face with an unfamiliar door. Was this the way to the sleeper cars? Or did he encounter a new car entirely?
                          
"There's still some time before the train leaves. I should remind Kiyoko-chan..." Hayato mumbled and sent a text to the girl. Then, knowing he had time to spare (and possibly explore), he pushed open the door to the train car.
                          
"Why is it so cold in Hokkaido! Why do the Promotion Exams have to take place in winter time!" A girl's voice complained loudly.
                          
Hayato blinked, taking in the sight before him: half of the Elite Ten surrounded a table, some of them seated, while others stood. The girl whom he recognized as the Second Seat crouched in front of a space heater, swaddled in blankets.
                          
...Uh oh.
                          
They had yet to notice his presence, to Hayato's relief, so he turned to leave before they could.
                          
"The director already explained it clearly—or were you not listening, Rindo?" A sharp voice bit back. "I know why I came down here: to personally crush those pathetic Rebels."
                          
"That's Rindo-senpai to you!" Rindo barked, before breaking into a laugh. "Besides, wasn't it those 'pathetic Rebels' who beat you in the first place?"
                          
"Why, you bi--!"
                          
'Creeeeak.'
                          
Hayato sweated enough bullets to fill a water gun. You'd think they'd oil the doors on such a fancy, expensive train!
                          
"Oh? Who's this?" Rindo perked up at the sight of him, cat-like pupils dilating.
                          
"You shouldn't be here," the pig-tailed girl with glasses said. No, I should not, he agreed inwardly.
                          
"Right, sorry." Hayato went to leave again.
                          
"Wait. How much did you hear?" the eighth seat, Eizan, asked.
                          
Hayato shook his head, forcing himself to stay calm. "Nothing."
                          
There was a brief moment in which the Council decided his fate. He expected them to brush him off (a perk of being a background character and one of the reasons he's survived this long).
                          
"Ehh, let him go. He's just lost." Rindo shrugged and adjusted her blanket.
                          
Phew. As expected. Hayato relaxed his shoulders then reached for the door a second time.
                          
Eizan clicked his tongue. "Messy, as always. But even if he does warn them, it won't change anything." He smirked maliciously. "I just can't wait to crush those two brats under my heel..."