SSS-Ranked Lust System: Taming Beauties Is My Calling

David clicked the play button, and the television flickered for a brief second before the old studio logo filled the screen. A slow orchestral theme rolled through the apartment, followed by grainy opening credits that looked noticeably rough around the edges.

Holly lasted exactly eight seconds before letting out an exaggerated sigh.

"...You seriously picked this?"

David didn’t even look away from the screen. "That’s usually how movies start."

"No, I mean..." She pointed accusingly at the television. "Look at it. It already looks old."

"It is old."

"I can tell."

"The movie came out in 1997."

Holly twisted toward him with a look that practically screamed why would you do this to me?

"Nineteen ninety-seven?" she repeated. "David, I wasn’t even expecting modern CGI or anything, but..." She gestured helplessly at the screen. "This looks ancient."

A laugh escaped him.

"You’ve judged the movie before the opening credits have even finished."

"I’m judging what I can see."

"You’ve seen thirty seconds."

"Thirty ugly seconds."

He shook his head, unable to stop the smile tugging at his lips.

"I don’t know what you were expecting."

"I was expecting something with good reviews."

"It does have good reviews."

"From who?"

"People."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Old people."

David finally turned to look at her, amusement dancing across his face.

"People in the nineties."

She folded her arms with a quiet huff, clearly pleased with herself for making the distinction.

"Exactly."

He chuckled.

"So your complaint isn’t that the movie’s bad."

"It isn’t."

"It’s that it was reviewed by people who lived when it came out."

"They had different standards."

"They also had fewer superhero movies and exploding planets to compare it against."

Holly clicked her tongue.

"I still think their standards were questionable."

"They weren’t."

"They absolutely were."

"They’re the reason this movie became a classic."

"They’re the reason you’re making me watch it."

David laughed again, the sound softer this time.

"There it is."

"What?"

"I was wondering how long it’d take before you blamed me personally."

"I’ve been blaming you personally since you stole control of the remote."

"I distinctly remember asking."

"You asked while already pressing play."

"So... efficient communication."

She stared at him for a long second before letting out another dramatic sigh and sinking farther into the couch.

"You know," she muttered, "if this ends up being terrible, I’m reminding you of this for the next five years."

"If it ends up being good?"

"I’ll pretend I always liked it."

"At least you’re honest."

"I’ve never claimed otherwise."

David smiled to himself and settled back against the couch.

Holly had already turned back to the screen, arms still folded, doing an impressive impression of someone who wasn’t interested.

He looked back at the screen too.

The movie continued playing. The opening scenes gave way to a quiet drive through an isolated countryside, the playful music fading out until the only sound was distant thunder and the hum of tires on wet road.

Holly shifted slightly beside him.He noticed but didn’t say anything.

Then she leaned forward. Just a little. Elbows moving toward her

"...Okay."

David raised an eyebrow.

"Okay?"

"I’ll admit..." She leaned forward just a little, eyes fixed on the screen. "...the atmosphere’s actually not bad."

He smirked.

"I’ll take that as your first compliment."

"It wasn’t a compliment."

"It sounded suspiciously like one."

"It was an observation."

"Mhm."

"Don’t get used to it."

The opening credits finally disappeared, giving way to the first scene.

An old pickup truck rumbled down a deserted road, the picture carrying that unmistakable grain every older film seemed to have.

For once...

Holly didn’t say anything.

David kept his eyes on the screen, though the silence beside him slowly became suspicious.

He gave it another few seconds.

"...You’re being awfully quiet."

"I know."

"Should I be worried?"

"No."

"You’ve gone almost..." He glanced at the timer. "...three whole minutes without insulting my movie."

"I’m trying something."

"What?"

"Giving it a chance."

David hummed.

"How generous of you."

"It is."

"You want me to thank you?"

"I wouldn’t stop you."

He smiled to himself.

There she was.

He’d started wondering if she’d actually settled into the movie.

Apparently she’d just been gathering ammunition.

A woman stepped out of the truck and looked toward the lonely farmhouse in the distance.

Holly leaned forward ever so slightly.

"...Why would she go in there?"

David shrugged.

"Because there wouldn’t be a movie if she didn’t."

"That’s such a terrible excuse."

"It’s the only excuse horror movies have."

She let out a small laugh.

"I already don’t like her."

"The main character?"

"Mhm."

"She hasn’t even done anything."

"Exactly."

He looked at her.

"...You decided that before she spoke?"

"I can tell."

"You can tell?"

"I have instincts."

David shook his head.

"No, you have prejudice."

"My instincts have an excellent track record."

"Against fictional people?"

"They count."

He chuckled under his breath.

"You just enjoy judging people."

"I enjoy being right."

"We’ll see."

"We will."

She settled back against the couch with the faintest smile, looking oddly pleased with herself.

David found himself smiling too. It was just... Watching anything with Holly somehow turned into watching Holly. The movie continued.

The woman entered the house.

The soundtrack quietened until all that remained were slow footsteps echoing through empty hallways.

A floorboard creaked.

The camera lingered on a dark doorway.

David could already tell what the director was doing.

Building anticipation. Beside him, Holly shifted. Just a little.

"...They’re dragging this."

"They’re building tension."

"They’re wasting time... For something that probably isn’t worth it."

David raised an eyebrow.

"You sound awfully confident."

"I’ve seen enough horror movies... I can’t be scared."

"Oh?"

"Mhm."

"Funny... I never said anything to insinuate that you could."

She looked at him as though the statement itself were offensive.

"...David."

"What?"

"I don’t get scared."

He looked at her for a moment. Then nodded.

"Right."

"I don’t."

"Makes sense."

"It does."

Another beat of silence.

"...Why do you keep saying it like that?"

"Saying what?"

"’Makes sense.’"

"It does."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You don’t believe me."

"I didn’t say that."

"You thought it."

"I didn’t."

"You absolutely did."

David couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"I’ll believe you."

"You don’t sound convincing."

"I’m trying."

"Hmph."

She folded her arms and turned back to the television, looking entirely too determined for someone arguing about whether they got scared by movies.

David hid another smile.

Something told him...

She’d just challenged herself.

And horror movies had a habit of humbling people who did that.