The Oldest Dream of Eternal Night

Hassan looked away, uncomfortable.

Carter sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Alright... What's the plan?"

Hassan picked up his phone again, but this time, he seemed more engaged.

"If this thing is drawn to the smell of death, we can use it as bait."

Yuki raised an eyebrow.

"How do you plan to do that?"

"Simple. We recreate a scene that smells like death. Red meat, coated in human blood, left to smolder so the scent spreads. That should be enough to lure the ghoul."

Carter grimaced.

"Charming... And once it's here?"

Hassan shrugged.

"We can't just douse it in gasoline and light a match too risky. We'd need something that ignites on contact with air. Instant combustion."

Yuki gave a faint smile.

"I might have an idea."

The plan was taking shape.

Hassan nodded, crossing his arms.

"Alright, I'll handle getting what we need. I should have everything by tomorrow."

"Lucky you're rich!" Carter laughed.

He immediately started preparing the traps. He scribbled a few diagrams in an old notebook, figuring out the best spots to set them up somewhere they could corner their target without risking their own necks.

Meanwhile, Yuki pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He called Hugo. No answer.

Ever since he'd admitted to being a Zodiac, their relationship had gotten complicated. Hugo had become more distant, avoiding Yuki whenever he could. Still, unlike Kaiser—who had completely abandoned the group and adopted a solitary lifestyle—Hugo was making an effort to keep up appearances. He'd begged the coach to let him stay on the basketball team, and now he spent most of his time training, hanging out with other players, or flirting with girls at school.

But every time Yuki showed up, Hugo found a way to disappear.

And then there was Ben.

That guy had changed completely. Day after day, he flirted with anything that moved, flashing a smug grin and a confidence he'd never had before. He'd turned into a full-blown Casanova, racking up conquests like he was making up for lost time.

Even Hugo asked him for dating advice.

To that, Ben always responded with a smirk and the same old line:

"It's all about the mix of my handsome face and my confidence."

Now that he wasn't a virgin anymore, nothing could stop him!

There were even rumors about him and Sabrina.

One day, Hassan had decided to ask him directly.

"So, is it true? You and Sabrina, are you together?"

Ben had shrugged, looking indifferent.

"I dumped her. She wasn't useful anymore."

The answer had sent a chill through the room. It wasn't just the breakup that was shocking—it was the way he talked about her. Like Sabrina had been nothing more than a temporary distraction, something to be tossed aside once he got bored.

Since their split, no one had seen her.

Yuki hesitated for a moment, then called Ben.

He picked up after a few rings.

"Yo, man. What's up?"

"I need to talk to you. It's important."

Ben let out an annoyed sigh.

"Sorry, I'm busy. Got a baby girl with me right now, you know what I mean?"

"Ben, this is serious."

"We'll talk later."

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And he hung up.

Yuki clenched his teeth.

Ben had become a ghost, floating just out of reach, obsessed with his own pleasures and completely detached from everything around him.

For a moment, he wondered if Ben even knew he was a Zodiac. If he had any idea that Kaiser had completely abandoned the group.

He tried calling Kaiser next.

No surprise—no answer.

He stared at his screen, unsure. Then he scrolled through his contacts and found one last name.

Hannah.

Without overthinking it, he pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear, hoping for an answer.

...

Hannah was sitting on her bed, a sheet of paper on her lap, a pencil in hand. She was sketching the outline of a massive creature—half-man, half-wolf, with terrifying muscles and a murderous glare. She was deep in thought, shading the drawing, when Jane suddenly appeared and leaned in with a mischievous grin.

"Let me see!"

Without waiting for permission, Jane snatched the sketch and examined it with curiosity.

"Whoa, that's creepy... but cool! Is that a werewolf?"

Jane was lively, always full of energy. She had light brown curly hair that fell to her shoulders and big, sparkling eyes. Unlike Hannah, who preferred quiet and solitude, Jane loved to talk and meddle in other people's business, which sometimes made her a little intrusive.

They laughed for a moment, then Jane abruptly changed the subject, smirking.

"Hey, what do you think of Ben?"

Hannah arched an eyebrow, surprised by the question.

"Ben?"

"Yeah, I think he's so hot! But I wonder what he's really like... You know him pretty well, right?"

Hannah shrugged and made a hesitant face.

"Not really. We hang out in the same group sometimes, but it's not like we're close."

Jane crossed her arms, thoughtful.

"But he was close to Kaiser, wasn't he? And so are you, so you'd know him better than me."

Hannah stared at her for a second before asking curiously:

"Wait... Aren't you still in a relationship?"

Jane looked away, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, of course! I'm just asking, that's all."

Hannah sighed.

"There's a rumor going around that he's dating Sabrina."

Jane shook her head confidently.

"No, they're not. I asked Yuki. Since he hangs out with Ben and is friends with my boyfriend, he'd know."

As they kept talking, Hannah's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw Yuki's name.

She answered.

"Yuki?"

"Are you with Kaiser?"

Hannah raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question.

"Since when do I keep him on a leash? He's not answering your calls?"

"No, that's the thing. I need to talk to him, it's important but he's ignoring me."

Hannah sighed, glancing at Jane.

"That's weird... Is there tension between you two?"

"Seems like it. Can you go check if he's home?"

Hannah hesitated for a second before nodding.

"I'll go."

"Thanks. I'll need your help with something else, too."

She frowned.

"What kind of help?"