It was a good thing that the old man's nerve-wracking scrutiny didn't last long. René Alejandro released the breath that he had been holding. Sir Jian grinned at him and then suddenly began smacking him on the back. He was shocked by the force at first, especially since he wasn't expecting it at all. Such an old man and still so strong, Sir Jian was quite impressive for his advanced age.
"Welcome, kid! Are Lisa and Ruby my girl hosting you well tonight? Tell me, I want to know!"
René Alejandro smiled at him while allowing himself to be smacked. "Thank you, Sir. Yes, please do not worry. They are wonderful hosts, as I'm sure everyone here will attest, no? All of you are so kind that I feel like I'm having Christmas with my own family."
"Good! Very good!"
The old man narrowed his eyes at René Alejandro who continued smiling at him like there was nothing wrong. Mischief flashed in the old man's eyes. Then the smacks became louder and heavier, making the surrounding people wince.
"Sir must tell me about your secrets in maintaining your youth, yes? You are as strong as a bull. I want to be like you when I reach your age. And hopefully, I reach that age."
"Bahahahahaha! Not bad. Not bad at all! Bahahahaha!"
The old man gave him a final smack on the back. It was the hardest and heaviest. The sound was so loud that some thought René Alejandro should have flown across the room and crashed against the wall. When he didn't and maintained an amiable smile on his face, even managing to look relaxed, they were quite surprised.
All of the men who received the old man's smacks looked like they were going to vomit their internal organs, including Lisa. Only one had ever been able to take the smacks without any change in expression—Jiyong.
And now, another one appeared.
For René Alejandro, the smacks were really nothing. Yes, he could feel the impact but his sturdy body hardened through training and experience since childhood didn't allow him to register pain in the same way as normal people did. Compared to the countless life and death experiences he went through in life, the old man's smacks were almost ticklish for someone like him.
"You have quite a solid body," Sir Jian commented. "Like my grandson! Jiyong, come here and meet this sturdy, Spanish kid!"
René Alejandro glanced behind the old man and saw a big, muscled man. His breath caught in his throat as Jiyong's dark eyes bored down on him like a charging bulldozer. The man was huge. René Alejandro was already tall but Jiyong towered over him not only in height but also in build. Those muscles were simply incredible. They were definitely bigger and bulkier than average Olympic-level athletes but sleeker and more natural than hardcore bodybuilders.
These thoughts weren't at the forefront of René Alejandro's mind, however, because he was too busy dealing with the man's domineering aura. His pupils contracted.
For some reason, an image of a vengeful, dark and evil emperor appeared in his mind and looked like it was going to swallow his consciousness. The image sent a chill up his spine which stunned him.
'This!'
His mask almost cracked before the old man smacked his grandson's back next. The sounds alone indicated that the smacks he was giving Jiyong were the hardest and heaviest out of all the smacks he gave the others including René Alejandro.
"Why are you scaring your third brother and little sister's foreign guest, huh? Tell me, I want to know!"
Jiyong retracted his aura, an apathetic expression on his face. His arm, however, pulled a petite woman closer to his side. Jisoo stared at René Alejandro with wide eyes.
René Alejandro recovered quickly after Jiyong's invisible assault on his mentality. Cold sweat beaded on his skin but he didn't show any of his inner disturbance on the outside. He pretended to be surprised when facing Jisoo.
"Miss, it's you. A pleasure to see you again." He glanced at Jiyong's belt. "I see that your boyfriend is wearing your gift."
"What is this?" Sir Jian demanded, looking at the three—René Alejandro, Jisoo and Jiyong. "Jisoo my girl, you've met this Spanish kid before? Tell Grandpa, I want to know!"
Jiyong's apathetic expression darkened into a dangerous level. He brought Jisoo behind him and looked ready to choke René Alejandro with his eyes alone.
René Alejandro's competitive spirit flared up. He didn't want to lose against the man despite his cowardly reactions earlier. He was just caught unaware before, that was all. He, René Alejandro, was one of the most important, young team leaders in the organization.
Someone like Jiyong couldn't possibly match up against him. The man only looked big and scary but René Alejandro was confident that he could take him and win any time.
"Oy oy oy!" The old man stepped between the two men. "What are you two dunderheads doing?! See how this old man will bang your two heads against each other!"
"Jiyong, please." Jisoo tried to pull him back.
Chaerin also stepped in front of René Alejandro in a protective manner even though it was clear that she herself was intimidated by the scary Jiyong.
"Enough," a cold voice interrupted everyone.
It wasn't loud but it was firm and full of authority. Lisa swept his displeased eyes on the two men, unimpressed by their actions inside his home in the middle of the Christmas gathering that he and his wife were currently hosting.
Jiyong snorted before breaking eye contact with the Spaniard. René Alejandro also regained his usual amiable expression. He sent an apologetic look to everyone, especially to Lisa and the old man.
"Big Sister, you've met René Alejandro before?" Jennie repeated Sir Jian's earlier question.
"Y-yes," Jisoo admitted.
"They only met at a store when Jisoo was buying something for me," Jiyong said. "That's all."
"I helped Miss Kim choose the belt she gave you," René Alejandro said before he could stop himself.
Two invisible powerful forces once again clashed against each other. One dark, the other grey.
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The Wife Is A Superstar 7
FanfictionA world-famous hacker and daughter of the most powerful criminal family who ruled the international underworld for many generations is killed when their organization is annihilated in a single night. She is reborn into the body of Jennie Kim, a pop...