The Oldest Dream of Eternal Night
Chapter 26: Dopamine

Chapter 26: Dopamine

The school cafeteria was organized chaos: plastic trays clattering, raucous laughter, and the greasy smell of fries hanging in the air. Yuki sat at a wobbly table, his eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk. He fiddled with a plastic straw, twisting it until it cracked. Ben was nowhere to be found, and it was driving him crazy.

His dad had already called the cops, but Yuki knew the police wouldn’t find anything. Not with a Wunder in the equation. According to Hassan, the creature that had shown up in Ben’s room had dropped its name. That meant this monster knew Ben, Hassan, and maybe even the whole group. And if it knew them, there was a chance it was lurking in the places they frequented. The school was the most obvious lead.

Yuki wasn’t a pro among the Zodiacs, but he had a sixth sense for spotting supernatural stuff. During class, he’d been watching. Five students had caught his eye—shifty glances, movements too smooth, or just a vibe that reeked of the unnatural.

Wunders, maybe. But what kind? Based on Hassan’s description—pale skin, piercing eyes, a predator’s aura—Yuki was leaning toward vampire. The problem was, a vampire could blend in. The amulets they wore let them walk around in broad daylight without burning to a crisp.

Yuki knew he couldn’t just walk up and tap them on the shoulder, asking, "Hey, did you kidnap my friend?" He needed someone who could see through their bullshit. Someone like Kaiser.

Kaiser was there, slouched in a corner of the cafeteria, headphones jammed in his ears, his black hoodie pulled up. He looked like a guy who wanted to be left alone. His empty gaze fixed on some invisible point, as if he were miles away. Yuki watched him. He had that gift—or curse—of spotting Wunders. Well, when he wasn’t on his meds. Yuki hesitated slightly because they’d been on bad terms lately.

The group had regrouped around the table—Hugo, Carter, Hassan, and Yuki. They were all there for Ben, but Kaiser stayed in his corner, probably unaware their friend was in deep shit. Hugo, with his ever-present backward cap, broke the silence.

"I thought Kaiser could see them, right? We just gotta ask him to help. If he knows Ben’s in trouble, he won’t be an asshole about it."

Hassan nodded, his glasses slipping down his nose. "Yeah, he’s weird, but he’s not a dick."

Carter, chewing on a toothpick, grunted. "He just needs to stop playing the diva."

They stood in unison and marched over to Kaiser. He spotted them out of the corner of his eye and sighed, yanking out his earbuds.

"No point in—"

"Shut the hell up," Carter cut in, arms crossed.

Hassan jumped in, not giving him room to breathe. "More important shit going on, man."

Yuki raised his hands, trying to defuse the tension. "Look, I’m sorry about last time. We all messed up that day. But right now, we need you."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting between them. "You were the one who mocked me, Yuki. I don’t see how I messed up."

Carter snorted. "You’re embarrassing, dude."

Hugo grabbed Kaiser’s shoulder as he started to stand. "Listen, we’ve all got family issues, but we’ve always stuck together. My dad’s in a coma. You and Yuki are orphans. Ben’s mom abandoned him. Carter lives in filth because his dad went out for milk and never came back."

Carter clicked his tongue, annoyed. "Hey, why you insulting me for free?"

Kaiser smirked, crossing his arms. "And Hassan?"

Hassan shrugged, a half-smile on his lips. "My family’s too rich."

Carter rolled his eyes. "That a family issue?"

Yuki stroked his chin like he had an imaginary beard. "They say too much of anything is bad. Too much money can be a real problem."

Carter burst out laughing. "A problem? Yeah, right."

Hugo, serious for once, added, "Hassan’s parents are fugitives. They sell organs."

A heavy silence fell. Kaiser blinked, thrown off. Hugo was the least reliable in the group, always spouting nonsense, but this time, he seemed sincere—enough to convince him.

Kaiser straightened up, his usual arrogance returning. "And Ben? He too busy chasing girls to come convince me himself?"

Carter sneered. "We’re apologizing to this bastard young master?"

Hassan snickered. "Yeah, screw you."

Yuki sighed, bringing them back on track. "We need you to find him, Kaiser. Ben’s missing."

Kaiser frowned, confused. "Huh? You messing with me? Missing how? One of his girls lock him in a basement or something?"

Yuki shook his head. "No, it’s serious. A Wunder’s involved."

Hassan added, voice low, "There was a monster in his room."

Kaiser’s eyes widened. "Shit! What... what can I do?"

Carter shrugged. "The cops are looking, but we all know it’s more complicated than that."

Yuki leaned in. "We need you to spot this Wunder. I’ve got five suspects in class. Maybe vampires."

Kaiser ran a hand through his hair, looking overwhelmed. "What are you even talking about? I can’t just see them like that. It happens randomly, and only when I’m off my meds."

Hugo squinted. "You take your meds today?"

Kaiser smirked bitterly. "Obviously. You think I can function without that crap? Besides, I’ve been addicted for a while now."

Carter cursed. "Fuck! What do we do, then?"

Silence fell again, thick and heavy. Kaiser stared at his empty tray, gears turning in his head. His meds dulled him, blunted his senses, left him apathetic and empty. They reduced his visual acuity and blocked the hallucinations that were actually his gift. If he wanted to see Wunders, he needed something to counter that—a substance that did the exact opposite.

And then, an idea sprouted.

"The pleasure hormone," he muttered.

Hugo raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Dopamine," Kaiser corrected. "It’s a neurotransmitter. Boosts mood, focus, and can sharpen the senses. Basically, it might help me see Wunders."

Carter groaned. "Speak English, man. Not all of us aced chemistry."

Kaiser sighed. "It could counteract my meds. Make me more... alert."

Yuki frowned. "Isn’t that dangerous?"

Kaiser shrugged. "Short-term? Nasty side effects. Nausea, migraines, that kind of crap. Long-term? Doubt it’ll wreck me."

Hugo slammed his fist on the table. "Okay, but how do we get some?"

Kaiser rubbed the back of his neck. "The body produces it naturally, but there’s a med—L-dopa—used for Parkinson’s. It boosts dopamine."