CHAPTER 51: Pancakes And Gifts

Lucy comes home the next morning with about 12 boxes full of Christmas decorations. Donghyuk and your dad, along with Lucy and Luhan help put the decorations around the house. Nana is a little bitter that your house is the only house that has not put up as many decorations.

      “Why are you making breakfast?” she frowns at Kris when she enters the kitchen only to find her grandson wearing a red apron with Santa Clause on the front as he makes coffee on the coffee maker and stirs pancake mix on a bowl.

Kris looks up at her. “Why not…?”

Nana eyes him suspiciously. “You don’t like to cook.”

Kris frowns, still stirring the bowl. “It’s not like I’m really cooking. I’m making pancakes. A three year old can make pancakes.”

Nana hums, still eyeing him warily but she leaves a couple of seconds later. Luhan enters the kitchen when Nana exits. He smiles when he sees that Kris is still going with the plan.

He rubs his hands in excitement and stands next to Kris, watching the boy pour in the pancake mixture on the hot pan. “Okay,” Luhan says, “Part one of the plan. You make Hana breakfast and show her that you’re capable of cooking for her- everyone knows girls love guys that can cook. It’s y! They love it!”

Kris chuckles. “You know,” he says, “I think this isn’t such a bad plan. I actually thought you would do something crazy but I think she might actually love this. Besides, making pancakes is kind of fun.”

Luhan nods, watching Kris flip the pancake on the pan. “I told you it was a safe plan. However, don’t forget that this is only part one. We totally got this!”

Kris takes the pancake out of the pan and puts it in with the ones he had done earlier. He begins making another one when Luhan suddenly jumps in excitement. “I hear Hana’s voice! She must have woken up!” he dashes out of the kitchen, but not before hissing, “Don’t forget to put whipped cream and fruit on her pancakes!”

Kris is now very anxious. “You can do this, Yifan,” he inhales and exhales.

************

      “Nice,” you smile as you see the pleasant change your home interior has received. The tree is decorated, there’s Christmas ornaments all around and the house smells like vanilla cookies. “Scented candle?” you ask Lucy when she comes up to you. She nods, “Yes, ma’am. We thought it was necessary.”

      “Good choice,” you smile. “The house looks nice.”

Lucy nods. “Wait until you see the presents!”

      “Presents?” you raise your eyebrow.

She nods again. “All the adults got presents for everyone. I’m not sure about you, Luhan, or Kris, though. All I am sure of is that you three kids will be swimming in presents this year.”

You smirk, “That would be the benefits of having so many working adults in the house.”

Lucy smiles, hugging you quickly before going to help her husband put the star on the tree. You snort when Donghyuk accidently pinches himself with the star and Lucy has to kiss his hand better.

      “Breakfast is ready!” Luhan yells suddenly from the entrance of the kitchen. You hadn’t notice him earlier, but when he smiles at you, you smile back. You look around for Kris but he isn’t in the living room. He must be sleeping, you think.

      “Lu, just bring the food to the living room since we’re not done decorating,” Your mom says from where she’s sitting on the floor, putting the last ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Luhan nods, “Got it!” and then he’s going back to the kitchen. Nana helps him bring plates after plates of pancakes. Each topped with a swirl of whipped cream, strawberries, banana, and blueberries. You wonder who made the pancakes as you watch Luhan bring a bottle of syrup and place it on the coffee table so that the adults can eat.

      “Aren’t you going to eat?” your dad frowns up at you.

You shrug, “I didn’t even get a plate of pancakes.” You turn to Luhan, “Hey, can I get some pancakes?”

Luhan smiles. “Sure,” and then he’s grabbing your wrist and pulling you away from the happy adults that begin conversing and laughing in the living room as they eat their pancakes.

      “Can’t you just bring them to me so I could eat in the living room with everyone else?” you ask as you enter the kitchen. You frown when you see Kris standing in the middle of the kitchen, facing you with a big smile. He looks like he’s hiding a secret from you. You smile at him, “You okay?”

Kris nods, “Of course I am.”

You realize he’s up to something. Luhan pulls you to sit down on the dining table and you just sit down without any rebellion. However, you can’t help feel suspicious.

      “Kris will give you your pancakes,” he says, “Just wait right there.” And then he’s walking out of the kitchen.

You frown, looking at Kris. “You’re giving me pancakes? What?”

The tall male smiles at you and then looks down at the counter he’s standing in front of. You realize he’s cutting fruit. After a second, you then notice that Kris is wearing an apron and has pancake mix on his chin. You hold in a laugh and just watch with your hand covering your mouth. When he looks up at you, he chuckles, nervous, “What?”

      “Were you the one making the pancakes?”

Kris smiles, shrugging. He’s concentrating on the plate of food he’s making. After what seems like five minutes and a lot of whip cream, he moves forward, walking towards you with the plate of pancakes. However, he doesn’t set it down but is rather hesitant. You frown, “Are you going to give me the pancakes or…?”

Kris looks nervous all of a sudden and your frown deepens. Kris pursues his lips, “I’m thinking on whether or not I should give you these pancakes.”

You chuckle, kind of irritated now because your stomach is grumbling. “I mean, they’re just pancakes.”

Kris shakes his head. “These are special pancakes.”

You snort, standing up so you could look at the plate but Kris pushes you back down on your seat to keep you from looking. You sigh, giving up. “Are you going to give them to me or not? If you like them that much, you could eat them. I’ll make my own.”

Kris rolls his eyes. You frown, “I didn’t realize you were so greedy about food.”

Kris scoffs, “I am not greedy about food.”

      “Then give me the pancakes!” you sigh, “Please, I’m hungry, Yifan!”

Kris takes a deep breath and with his eyebrows in a permanent frown, he sets the plate down in front of you. You smile up at him, “thank you.” And then look down at the pancakes.

It takes you exactly seven seconds to realize that there’s a heart made out of whipped cream on your pancakes. There’s some fruit on the middle of it and on the sides, but really, it’s the whipped cream heart what really catches your interest.

You try to contain your smile, but it’s impossible. You look up at Kris. He looks very serious, eyebrows furrowed in a permanent frown and you almost want to laugh when you realize that he’s trying very hard not to blush and run away.

      “Where you the one who drew this heart on the pancakes?” you ask, heart pumping and stomach fluttery.

      “Yes,” Kris mutters and he’s staring right at you.

You smile, “Was it done on purpose? For me?”

Kris looks away and down at himself, taking off his apron. You stare at his clothes. He’s wearing a white cotton sweater and s