The Sole Survivor

"Exactly!" Aiden jumped in, raising his finger enthusiastically.

"Or how about reducing those frequent trips abroad? Or maybe, you could try apologizing to your father and ask if he'd be willing to help you out financially again."

"Besides, if you really want to stand up to your father, take a leaf out of Alaric's book. He left home, yes, but then he started his own business. You? You're just partying away without any real direction."

"Enough, both of you!" Ryder snapped, his voice rising with anger. "I didn't ask for a lecture on how to manage my life!"

Seeing Ryder's growing irritation, Dhimas and Aiden decided it was best to exit the scene.

"I'm off to Judo practice," Dhimas muttered as he grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

Aiden, looking slightly amused yet sympathetic, added, "And I need to pick up some groceries for the month."

As they left, Ryder was left to ponder their words, the room settling into a heavy silence that reflected his solitude and the weight of his unchecked habits.

Alaric extended his hand, offering a compromise. "I can only provide solutions. For the next three weeks, the job-taking limit isn't more than three times a week, but this won't apply to you. You can take four to five jobs a week. However, you must still follow the queue on the application. Deal?"

Ryder's demeanor immediately shifted, his face lighting up with relief as he grasped Alaric's hand firmly. "Deal!" he agreed enthusiastically.

Alaric, however, remained serious, adding a crucial caveat. "But you still have to maintain the quality of your work. I don't want your ratings to drop any further. It's also not beneficial for you to take on too many jobs; your ratings are already the lowest among us, Ryder. That's because you're overworking, getting exhausted, and compromising the quality of service."

Ryder nodded, acknowledging the point, though his mind was already racing ahead to his next job.

"Yeah, I understand. Allow me to leave now. I have a job in two hours. See you!" With that, he hurried out, his steps quickening with each second.

Left in the quiet aftermath of their discussion, Alaric sighed and massaged his temples, feeling the weight of his responsibilities.

"Three weeks feels too long, doesn't it?" he mused aloud, turning to Gavin, who was absorbed in his work on the laptop.

Gavin glanced up, pondering Alaric's concern. "It's indeed a bit long. But it's okay, better to avoid any trouble," he replied, his voice measured and calm, showing his support for the decision despite reservations.

"Someday, you should try to monitor Ryder," Alaric suggested, his tone turning more firm. "Review the quality of his service. You're the one who understands the standards we want to uphold in our Host Club."

Gavin nodded in agreement, tapping a few keys on his laptop.

"I'll keep an eye on it. It's important that we not only maintain but also enhance our reputation. Let's ensure Ryder can balance his workload without sacrificing our club's standards."

"By the way, did Aiden give you the police report I asked for?" Alaric inquired, his voice tinged with anticipation.

"Yes." Gavin replied, retrieving a folder filled with police documents from his bag. "Aiden handed it to me in class this morning," he added, passing the folder to Alaric.

Alaric nodded appreciatively, impressed by Aiden's efficiency. "Aiden is truly invaluable. Recruiting him was certainly not in vain, especially considering his family's connections and their familiarity with law enforcement," he murmured in admiration, carefully opening the folder to review its contents.

As Alaric skimmed the report, Gavin began to elaborate on the details.

"I've already gone through it briefly. It outlines a tragic accident that occurred after the victims had returned from a national team swimming qualifying session."

"Apparently, the driver of a heavy vehicle fell asleep at the wheel, initiating a catastrophic chain collision. Their car was tragically sandwiched between two heavy vehicles."

He paused, his expression somber, "None of the occupants in their car survived the initial impact. All victims died due to being trapped inside the vehicle. It's quite harrowing, really. Surprisingly, Raven was the sole survivor, miraculously rescued from the wreckage. Unfortunately, the others weren't so lucky and couldn't be rescued in time."

Alaric absorbed the grim narrative, his expression turning thoughtful. "That's a horrific ordeal for anyone to endure. It explains a lot about his behavior."

Alaric studied the crime scene photos spread before him, revealing the gruesome aftermath of the accident.

The images showed the mangled car, wedged tightly between two heavy vehicles. Inside, members of Raven's high school swimming team were visibly trapped, their bodies bloodied and lifeless.

"It's chilling to see," Alaric murmured, his eyes tracing the images where, despite the severe injuries, it was clear the victims were alive when the photos were taken. They remained in that devastating state until they ultimately succumbed, trapped with no possibility of escape.

Then there were photos of bodies laid out, covered in blood, which were only extracted after a grueling five-hour ordeal since the accident had occurred.

Amid these, Raven's profile stood out as the sole survivor, though tragically he was listed in a vegetative state at the time.

Gavin added softly, breaking the heavy silence, "Here's something else. Raven had actually made the National Team and was set to represent our country at the International Championship. If only that accident hadn't happened, and he hadn't ended up in a long coma." He paused, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Can you imagine? All that time and effort he put into qualifying, all for it to be derailed by something completely out of his control."

Alaric's throat felt dry as he absorbed the harrowing details.

"When he woke up to find out he had lost all his teammates and that two years had passed? That's a lot to process in a short time. The recovery must have been incredibly painful and burdensome. It's completely understandable if he's feeling depressed," Gavin muttered, his voice low.

Alaric turned to Gavin, his expression serious but filled with a newfound respect.

"You're really empathetic, Gavin," he remarked, impressed by Gavin's depth of understanding and compassion.