The Friday movie nights didn't start immediately. They sort of evolved after we moved into the dorms. Folks would be flopped out on the common room couches, watching movies on their phones. Then on laptops. Eventually, there would be triple features on the main video screen with nearly all of the class in attendance, whether on one of the couches or camped out in the floor space in between.
Being able to choose a movie became a highly sought-after honor, so a system was developed as to who would select the next one. After watching a film, everyone voted: if your movie got less than 50% approval, you missed your next spot in the rotation. If it got over 80%, your next spot in the rotation would be moved forward.
As class rep, it became my job to maintain the rotation list.
The boys in the class tend to choose a lot of action and martial arts films. Rin has a particular talent for selecting obscure Chinese kung fu movies that everyone else seemed to love.
Tsunotori, bless her, was shocked the first time she chose a film-a magical girl anime-it was almost universally unpopular. Since then, she tends to choose classic Disney or Ghibli films, which do much better.
Monoma's choices are the most difficult to predict. On the one hand, he's the only one to get a 100% vote three separate times, and he's also the only one to also get a zero percent film-an American art film so boring, even he voted to abandon watching it thirty minutes in.
Tonight was one of his better choices: a French romance musical about a young couple torn apart by circumstances, a real weepie. I cried. So did a lot of other people. It came close to another 100% vote, but there were a couple of dissenting votes for the movie being just a bit too sad.
As we waited for everyone to settle down for the next feature to start, Tokage spoke up from the floor. "Hey, uh, whose pillow is this? Because seriously, I might want to trade for it. This is so soft."
"Um… th-that's my stomach."
Dead silence.
"Uh, sorry about that, Shoda. But seriously, that is a really comfy stomach you have there."
"Oh. Thanks? I think?"
"Wait a minute." Tetsutetsu got up on his elbows. "He can't possibly be that soft."
"I'm not joking. Seriously, come over and have a feel for yourself."
I was about to tell Tokage that it was not her permission to give, but I was completely drowned out by Shoda's shriek of alarm, then Tetsutetsu's reaction.
"Holy crap, man, how are you so soft? I've seen you bench-press as much as me! You have amazing muscles! So why do you feel like the world's softest pillow?"
"Um, please stop touch…"
"Hey, everybody! Come and touch Shoda!"
"That's the opposite of what I wan… oh god."
Total bedlam as a good dozen of our classmates tried to put their hands on Shoda. The time for words was past, and I needed to take action. I activated my quirk, growing my hands to about one meter handspan each, and surrounded Shoda with them, protecting him from the rest of the class. "Okay, folks, back away. Shoda isn't comfortable with you all touching him like that, isn't that right?"
"Ah, yes, thank you."
I gave a strong look to the class in general, and Tokage and Tetsutetsu in particular.
"Sorry about that, Shoda-kun. I didn't mean to make you feel weird."
"Yeah, sorry about that, buddy." Tetsutetsu quickly bowed.
I looked at the victim of all this. "Shoda-kun, would you feel more comfortable sitting next to me for the next movie?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah… yes, class rep."
As he made his way over to me, the rest of the class mumbled apologies, rather embarrassed.
It wasn't until a half-hour into the next film (a Charlie Chaplin comedy picked by Fukidashi) that Shoda relaxed next to me.
And I have to admit-he was just as soft and comfortable as Tokage said he was.
I just need to figure out how to get him next to me for every movie night.