Go to him and give him a chance. "It’s been a year since I’ve been with anyone. Maybe he’s not perfect, but he’s here, and he’s real. The curse is probably just a silly story. I’ll never know if I don’t try."

"I'm over here," I called out, my voice barely audible over the carnival's din. He turned towards me, his eyes widening in surprise. "There you are," he said, a grin spreading across his face as he strode towards me. I stood up, my legs wobbling slightly as he approached.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, his voice low and smooth. "I had some… unexpected business to attend to."

I nodded, my eyes flicking over his face, taking in the sharp angles, the full lips. He was not handsome in the traditional sense, but there was something about him, something that drew me in.

"Hi," I said, offering a small smile. "I’m Aiko."

"Deion," he replied, his grin widening as he extended a hand. I hesitated for a moment before taking it, his grip firm but not overpowering. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise," I said, pulling my hand back and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The noise of the carnival seemed to fade into the background as we stood there, the air between us charged with an unspoken tension.

"So, what do you say we get out of here?" he asked after a moment, his voice dropping to a low, husky whisper. "Find someplace a little more… private? I promise it'll be worth your while."

I felt a shiver run down my spine at his words, my heart pounding in my chest. I started, my eyes widening in surprise as a voice rang out behind me. "Aiko, is that you?" I turned around, my heart leaping into my throat as I saw my best friend, Yumi, pushing her way through the crowd.

Yumi was a sigh to behold, her petite frame and soft features a testament to her Japanese heritage. Her face was heart-shaped, her skin a porcelain doll's complexion, framed by a cascade of shiny, raven hair that fell in loose waves down her back. Her eyes were large and doe-like, her lips full and pink. She was dressed in a cute, pastel pink sundress, her petite figure accentuated by the outfit's cut. Despite her delicate appearance, Yumi was anything but fragile. She was fiercely independent, her spirit fiery and her wit sharp. She was the kind of friend who would stand up for you in a heartbeat, the kind who would drag you out of a bad situation without a second thought. And also bring you to a messy one.

I stared at Yumi, my surprise written all over my face. "Yumi? What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the carnival's din. I hadn't expected to see her here, not at this particular event.

Yumi grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I could ask you the same thing, Aiko-chan," she teased, her gaze flicking over to Deion, who was watching our exchange with a curious expression. "But I must say, I'm impressed. When you said you were going on a date, I didn't expect you to land a… well, a guy like that."

Deion's eyes widened as he took in Yumi's appearance, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Well, well, well," he murmured, his gaze raking over her body. "I must say, I didn't expect to find two beautiful women in one place." He turned to Yumi, extending a hand. "I'm Deion, by the way. And you are?"

Yumi smiled, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. "I'm Yumi," she said, her voice sweet and innocent, a sharp contrast to the fiery spirit I knew she possessed. "And I must say, Deion, you have quite the eye for beauty."

"Well, I do try my best," he replied, his smile widening as he held onto her hand for a moment longer than necessary. "So, Yumi, what brings you to this carnival? Looking for some thrills, some excitement?" He let go of her hand, his gaze never leaving her face.

I watched their interaction, my unease growing as I saw the way Deion was looking at Yumi. It was the same look he had given me earlier, the same hunger, the same desire. And yet, there was something different about it, something that made me feel a pang of excitement, a feeling I hadn't expected to feel.

"Or maybe you're just here to keep an eye on your friend," he said, his gaze flicking over to me. "Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." He chuckled.

Yumi laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, Aiko can handle herself," she said, her gaze meeting mine. "But I do like to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't do anything… too wild." Her eyes twinkled with amusement, and I couldn't help but blush at her words.

I could see Deion's eyes lingering on Yumi's cleavage, her curves, and I felt a strange heat rise within me. It was wrong, I knew it was, but there was something about the way he looked at her, something that made my heart race, my breath hitch. I pushed the thought away, focusing on the conversation instead. "So, Deion, what do you do for a living?" I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me.

"I'm a businessman," he replied, his gaze finally leaving Yumi's body to meet my eyes. "I travel a lot, meet a lot of interesting people. But enough about me," he said, his gaze flicking back to Yumi. "What about you, Yumi? What do you do?"

I watched as Yumi blushed under Deion's gaze, her eyes lowering to the ground. "I'm a student," she said, her voice soft. "I'm studying art history."

"So, how did you two meet?" Yumi asked, her eyes flicking between Deion and me. "On Tinder, right?"

Deion and I exchanged a look, our eyebrows raised in surprise. "How did you know that?" we asked in unison, our voices filled with curiosity. Yumi laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, come on," she said, her gaze flicking over to Deion. "He has that 'Tinder guy' look, you know? The kind who's always looking for a good time."

"Well, Yumi, you're not wrong," he replied, his smile widening as he took in her words. "But I like to think I'm a good time worth having."

Yumi giggled, her eyes meeting Deion's as she leaned in slightly. "And why is that?" she asked, her voice soft and seductive. Deion leaned in as well, his voice dropping to a low, husky whisper. "Because I've had my fair share of women on Tinder," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "I know what I'm doing."

My heart skipped a beat as Deion's gaze flicked to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "And I've never had a Japanese woman," he said, his voice laced with a challenge. "I've heard they're… particularly passionate."

I felt a blush rise to my cheeks at Deion's words, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn't sure how to respond, how to react. But Yumi, ever the confident one, laughed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Who knows," she said, her gaze flicking between Deion and me. "Maybe one day you'll get the chance to find out."

"Well, I certainly hope so," he replied, his gaze never leaving Yumi's face.

"So, Yumi," Deion said, his voice casual as he pulled out his phone. "I don't suppose I could get your number, could I?"

Yumi's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Deion, her head tilting to the side. "Why?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "Don't you have Aiko's number? Isn't this supposed to be your date?"

"Oh, Aiko and I are just having some fun," he said, his gaze flicking to me before returning to Yumi. "But I can tell you're something special. I'd like to get to know you better."

I felt a pang of jealousy at Deion's words, my heart clenching in my chest. I had never been the jealous type, but there was something about the way he was looking at Yumi, the way he was dismissing our date, that made my blood boil.

"Well," Yumi said, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I do like a man who knows what he wants." She took Deion's phone, her fingers flying over the screen as she entered her number.

"Great," he said, his smile widening as he took his phone back. "I'll call you soon, Yumi."

"I think I'm going to leave you two to it," I said, my voice barely audible over the carnival's din. "It was nice to meet you, Deion." I turned to Yumi, my eyes meeting hers. "Yumi, are you sure you don't want to stay?" But Yumi was already shaking her head, her eyes flicking between Deion and me. "No, I can't," she said, her voice apologetic. "I have a date, I can't stay. I'm sorry, Aiko-chan." She leaned in, giving me a quick hug before turning and walking away, leaving Deion and me alone.

I watched as Yumi walked away, her hips swaying gently with each step. And I couldn't help but notice the way Deion's gaze followed her, lingering on her curves, his eyes darkening with desire. It made my stomach twist, a feeling I couldn't quite place.

"You know," I said, turning to face Deion, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. "I couldn't help but notice how you flirted with Yumi." I watched as his eyes met mine.

"Well, Aiko, I can't help it if I find both of you attractive," he said, his voice smooth as he recovered. "Is that a problem?"

I smirked, my eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, I don't mind at all," I said, my voice laced with a challenge. "In fact, I think you did a great job of getting Yumi all hot and bothered. Just imagine, she's going to meet her date now, all ready to go, all thanks to you. It's just a shame you won't be the one to reap the benefits." I saw the way his eyes darkened at my words, the way his jaw tensed.

"You're playing with fire, Aiko," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

I laughed, a sound that was part mocking, part genuine amusement. "Oh, I'm not playing, Deion," I said, my voice steady. "I know Yumi. She's not the type to wait. She's probably texting her date right now, changing their plans to something… more private." I saw the way his eyes flashed at my words, the way his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"You're a tease, Aiko," he said, his voice barely above a growl. "But I like it. I like it a lot."

I raised an eyebrow at his words, a smirk playing on my lips. "I'm not a tease, Deion," I said, my voice cool. "I'm just stating facts. And now, I'm leaving. It was nice meeting you." I turned to walk away, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Wait, Aiko," he called out, his voice stopping me in my tracks. "Let me walk you to your car."

I turned around, my eyes meeting his. "I don't have a car," I said, my voice steady. "I took an Uber here."

"I have a car," he said, his voice confident. "I can drive you home." He gestured towards the parking lot, his eyes meeting mine. "Where do you live?"

"I live downtown," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. "But I can just call an Uber. I don't want to put you out."

"It's no trouble at all," he said, his voice smooth as he took out his keys, gesturing towards the parking lot. "Come on, let's go." He started walking, expecting me to follow.