Slip away—he was late anyway. "He couldn’t even show up on time. Why should I waste my energy on someone who doesn’t respect mine? If the curse is real, that’s just another reason to leave."

I took a deep breath, my decision made. I typed out a quick message, "Sorry, you're late and didn't reply, so I thought you weren't coming. Already left." I hit send, my heart pounding as I waited for his response. It came quickly, his words laced with anger. "What the fuck, girl? You could've at least waited. Now I'm all the way here and you're gone? That's fucked up." I winced at the harsh words, my unease growing. I stood up, my eyes scanning the crowd for a quick escape route. I had made my decision, and I wasn't going to back out now. I had to get out of there, away from him, away from the carnival, and away from the haunting words of the fortune teller.

I quickened my pace, the vulgar words stinging like physical blows. "Slut," "Tease," "Fucking waste of my time." I shivered, his words leaving an unsettling warmth in the pit of my stomach. I didn't respond, didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction. But as I hurried away, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with me, that I was enjoying the way his words made me feel. It was a feeling I had never experienced before, a primal, instinctual response that left me shaken and confused.

I walked through the carnival, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The fortune teller's words echoed in my mind, her warning about the curse ringing in my ears. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. It was just a story, a trick, nothing more. And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that clung to me like a second skin. I looked around at the carnival, the lights and sounds that had once seemed so vibrant now seemed dull and muted. I sighed, my shoulders slumping as I realized that the night had taken a turn I hadn't expected, a turn that had left me questioning everything I thought I knew.

"Boo!" a voice exclaimed, hands suddenly covering my eyes, startling me out of my thoughts. I jumped, my heart pounding in my chest as I spun around, my eyes landing on Yumi. She was grinning at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hey, Aiko," she said, her voice cheerful. "What's got you all worked up?" I took a deep breath, my mind racing as I tried to put my thoughts into words. How could I explain what had happened, what I was feeling?

"Yumi," I breathed, relief washing over me at the sight of my friend. "You scared me," I said, my voice still shaky from the encounter with my Tinder date and the fortune teller's words. Yumi's smile faded, her expression turning concerned. "What's wrong, Aiko?" she asked, her voice soft. I hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Something strange happened tonight. And I don't know what to make of it."

I sighed, my shoulders slumping as I realized I couldn't tell Yumi the truth, not the whole truth anyway. "It's nothing, really," I said, my voice casual. "I had a Tinder date tonight, but he turned out to be a jerk. I didn't even meet up with him." Yumi's expression turned sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Aiko," she said, her voice soft. "That sucks. But hey, at least you didn't waste your night on him, right?" I managed a small smile, grateful for her understanding. "Yeah, you're right," I said, my voice steady. "It's just a shame I can't say the same for the rest of my night.

"Hey, what are you doing here, Yumi?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. "No date tonight?" Yumi shook her head, her smile returning. "Nope," she said, her voice cheerful. "I just felt like coming to the carnival, you know? It's been a while since I've been to one."

We walked through the carnival, the lights and sounds that had once seemed so ominous now seemed welcoming and inviting. Yumi's presence was comforting, her cheerfulness infectious. We played games, ate cotton candy, and laughed at the silly prizes we won.

Yumi sighed, her eyes taking on a distant look as we sat down on a bench to enjoy our cotton candy. "I thought coming here might help," she said, her voice soft. "Help me feel… I don't know, connected to my past, I guess. I used to love going to festivals back in Japan." I nodded, understanding her sentiment.

"I mean, this place is nothing like the festivals back home," I said, a laugh in my voice. "But hey, if I had known you were feeling nostalgic, I could've come in a yukata," I joked, nudging Yumi with my elbow. She laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Yumi raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, really?" she said, her voice teasing. "And what were you planning on doing in that yukata? Trying to seduce me with your 'neck action'?" She laughed, using air quotes around the phrase. "Sorry, Aiko, but I'm already well-versed in all your seduction strategies."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Please, Yumi," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "My 'neck action' is legendary. One look at my neck, and you'd be begging for a taste, like a vampire in heat." I laughed, the image of Yumi losing control at the sight of my neck making me giggle.

Yumi groaned, her eyes rolling heavenward. "Don't joke like that, Aiko," she said, her voice dramatic. "My last few dates have been so disappointing, I'm starting to think all men are the same. I might just fall to a pretty neck."

"Oh, come on," I said, my curiosity piqued. "You can't just leave me hanging like that. What happened on your dates?"

Yumi's face twisted into a grimace, her eyes filled with disgust. "The last guy I went out with," she began, her voice filled with disdain. "He took my hand, looked at my nails, and said, 'You have the perfect nails for fingering my asshole.'" I stared at her, my eyes wide with shock. "What did you do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Yumi laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Of course I did, Aiko," she said, her voice teasing. "I mean, who could resist such a charming invitation?" I laughed, my eyes widening in mock surprise. "You didn't!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with laughter.

"I mean, at least he was honest about what he wanted," Yumi said, her voice philosophical. "It was better than the guy who asked me to use my toe." I stared at her, my laughter dying in my throat. "Your toe?" I asked, my voice filled with disbelief.

Yumi nodded, her expression turning sour at the memory. "Yeah, my toe on his butt," she said, her voice filled with disgust. "And after he was done, he just rolled over and went to sleep. I was left there, unsatisfied and with a dirty toe." I winced, my heart going out to my friend.

I laughed, my eyes watering with mirth. "I'm sorry, Yumi," I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "That's… that's awful..." I laughed harder, my body shaking with amusement. "Oh god, Yumi," I said, my voice filled with laughter. "I'm so sorry. That's… that's just terrible."

Yumi raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Terrible, huh?" she said, her voice teasing. "You don't look very sad about it."

We laughed together, our laughter echoing through the carnival, drawing the attention of passersby. It felt good to laugh, to forget about the strange encounter with the fortune teller and my disastrous Tinder date. For a moment, everything felt right in the world.