Twelve

Kaho replied to the dubious eel emoji with a house emoji. Within seconds, she had a reply from Naseru. At least he was a quick texter, unlike Tatsuya. No, she shouldn't be comparing them. Kaho opened the text and rolled her eyes. 

He'd sent her three question marks in response. Kaho sighed, typing a message instead. He was an old man in disguise, she was sure. Kaho couldn't believe him. How didn't he know what a house emoji meant. 

Taiga let out a puny whine, Rana had escaped his clutches and high-tailed it up the stairs to the safety of Kaho's bedroom. 

Taiga sucked his finger, where some shallow teeth marks had punctured the skin. He pulled his finger from between his lips and smiled. "Hey, how was Mariah's?"

"Uh," Kaho said, "I actually wasn't at Mariah's. and before you lose it, might I remind you Himiko is asleep upstairs."

Taiga snorted, "She's playing one of her Mario games in her room. Like I was going to wrestle that from her hands. How does Mum manage to get her mitts off it." 

Kaho laughed, "She will never tell you her secret." 

"Right," Taiga said, flipping the switch to the kettle on, "C'mere. Want some tea?" 

Kaho nodded. She hopped onto the counter and swung her legs while Taiga waited for the kettle to boil. 

"Where were you, if you weren't at Mariah's?"

"Bringing your plans to fruition," Kaho declared, "I was with Matsuoka." 

"Until this late? Kaho! Did he hurt you – I swear to God if anyone hurt you, especially him, I can and will get him expelled." 

Kaho shook her head, "He didn't. He didn't hurt me. Promise. Nothing happened – nothing like that anyways. I managed to twist his arm and get him to hear me out. I think, maybe, just maybe, I got through to him." 

"What the Hell did you do if you didn't seduce him?" 

"Played basketball." 

Taiga snorted, "Kaho, you haven't gone out of your way to play basketball properly since we got you that drawing tablet."

She shrugged, "We played first to fifty and I ache so badly." 

Taiga raised his eyebrows. The kettle whistled and he poured two cups of tea and led the way to the sofa. He switched on the TV and turned off Himiko's console. She always forgot to turn it off. 

"You ache after playing basketball? Clearly you didn't stretch or warm up properly."

Kaho sighed, "I know, I know."

They flopped back onto the plush cushions and sighed. 

"I have some deep heat in the bathroom, you can use it," Taiga said, having a sip of his tea. 

"Thanks, Taiga." 

"So, firstly – do I have to tell Mum that you weren't at Mariah's."

"Absolutely not." 

"And why would that be? Do you have something for me that will make me keep that secret for you." 

She elbowed him in his ribs, tea sloshing over the rims of both their cups. 

"Because," Kaho said, "It's actually your fault I was out this late, but I don't regret it."

"Because you were twisting Matsuoka's arm." 

Kaho nodded. 

"But did it work? Did you get him on the team?" Taiga asked eagerly.

"Believe it or not," Kaho said, "I beat Matsuoka at basketball."

"You- you beat Matsuoka? Ryota's barely managed to match up with him during P.E.!" Taiga put his tea down, and prised Kaho's mug from her hands. He put her cup on the coffee table next to his and shook his younger sister by the shoulders. She didn't fight it as he shook her like a ragdoll.

"Come on, spill it! I want to hear every detail!"

Kaho sighed and shuffled over on the sofa, "You're acting like a middle school girl, I hope you know that." 

Taiga gestured to flip invisible hair from his shoulder. Kaho snorted. 

"I sort of did a whole all-or-nothing kind of play," Kaho admitted, "And challenged him to a basketball game. He took me to one of the courts on the other side of the canal, you know, opposite Luvrz. We played there and it was really close the whole time. I'm surprised I could stand after. Taiga, if I have to be off sick tomorrow, will you tell Mum we had shoddy take out?" 

Taiga rolled his eyes, "You have to power through the pain, feel the burn, Kaho!"

Kaho rolled her eyes and sipped her tea, 

"The operation was a success! No man can resist the Aigawa charm! We really do have stellar genes!" He erupted into triumphant laughter, which was quickly interrupted by a bout of coughing.

Kaho folded her arms, frowning. "Don't make it sound so... calculated. I wasn't just some bait for your basketball scheme."

"No, Kaho, you are so much more," Taiga said, tousling his sister's hair, "But when Mum asks you went to Mariah's and watched a movie. I told her it was a romcom. Just pick one." 

Kaho rolled her eyes, "You need to stop lying for me. She didn't need to know what I was doing at Mariah's, Taiga." 

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for the details," he laughed, heading to the sink to wash up their mugs, "Now go to bed." 

She saluted him and headed upstairs, opening her unread texts. Naseru had sent a house emoji to her too and her heart skipped a beat. Kaho flopped back on her bed and sighed, clutching her phone to her chest. 

Why did an emoji from Naseru make her heart soar in a way Tatsuya's texts didn't. Speaking of, she ought to send him a good night text…