TITLE: a change in a Christmas tradition SUMMARY: In which Jong Kook's Christmas present for Ji Hyo changes their usual holiday routine in gift-giving.     It was Christmas Day, and as per their tradition, Ji Hyo and Jong Kook’s morning started off with a loving morning cuddle and some sweet thanksgiving talk before they migrated to the living room to open presents after breakfast.   “Yah, Ji Hyo-yah. Didn’t we agree to limit only one gift for each other? Why is there three for me?” Jong Kook held up the three different sized boxes for emphasis, with one of it already opened.   The pair had already received their quota of one for each, but Ji Hyo managed to surprise him with two more, completely taking him aback. The little ninja was now leaning back on the couch with a satisfied smirk on her lips.   “Oppa, you can’t blame me for spoiling you after all that you do for me,” Ji Hyo countered.   “Either way, love, this is too much. One is already enough for me. Heck, even if you hadn’t gotten me anything, I still would’ve been thankful because I have you.”   “Aish, you and your cheesy lines, oppa. Stop it because you’re making my toes curl this early in the day!” Ji Hyo looked away from Jong Kook in the hopes to hide the fiery blush that crept up her neck and cheeks. “Just open them, oppa. I promise, there isn’t any more.”   Relenting on their now-broken agreement, Jong Kook stealthily planted a quick peck to Ji Hyo’s cheek, causing her face to redden even more. “Thank you, Ji Hyo-yah. I love you.”   “You’re welcome, oppa.”   After Jong Kook opened the last two boxes — which contained a new watch and a gift cheque to a known brand that sold home gym equipment (he swore to Ji Hyo that he wasn’t going to go overboard with buying the equipment because she will not allow him to turn his - well, it’s their at this point - home into a mini gym) — it was time for his grand finale.   “Wait here, Ji Hyo-yah. I have one last thing to give you,” Jong Kook said before going back to his bedroom to get his last hidden gift. Although, he did wonder how she never found it given its big size and the fact that it was literally just sitting at the bottom of the closet where she could see, haphazardly covered with his jacket.   “Oppa, I thought you said one for each only! You liar!”   Jong Kook laughed as he responded to her from the other room. “Yah, did you think you were the only one who had something up their sleeve?”   Ji Hyo rolled her eyes, but nonetheless, she waited for him to come back. Once he returned though, dropped in shock and her eyes widened.   “Omo, oppa...”   Jong Kook beamed brightly and placed the large box in front of her.   “Please don’t tell me you got the dog carrier I’ve been wanting to buy for Hotteok.”   Jong Kook smiled slyly and shrugged. “You have to open the gift, love. That’s the whole fun in it.”   Ji Hyo squealed and raced to jump in his arms, pressing kisses all over his face. “You’re the best, oppa! I knew you love Hotteok deep down!”   “Yah,” Jong Kook chuckled. “You haven’t even opened the gift yet. How do you know it’s for Hotteok?”   “Tch, oppa. You really think you can fool me into thinking it’s not a dog carrier when the box is literally the perfect size for it?”   Jong Kook picked Ji Hyo up easily in his arms to plop her back down on her seat on the couch. He tapped her head fondly before moving to sit next to her, “Just open it, love. And use the scissors too.”   “No, it’s okay!” She holds up her fingers to accompany her next statement, “It’s more fun opening it this way. Thank you, by the way, oppa!”   And with that, Ji Hyo got on to ripping open the wrapping paper and going through the first layer. Once she passed through the paper and opened the flaps on the box, she was dumbdfounded at finding another wrapped box inside it.   “Oppa?” Ji Hyo looked at Jong Kook expectantly, waiting for him to explain. But wordlessly, Jong Kook just gestured for her to continue.   So Ji Hyo did just that — bulldozing through green and red Christmas-themed wrapping papers and opening flaps after flaps. When she passed through to the 5th box that was about seven times smaller than the original box, she had long already deduced this present wasn’t for Hotteok at all.   “Oppa, are you trying to play a joke on me?” she pouted and slouched in her seat. “I’m already tired, oppa. My fingers feel like falling off already.”   “That’s why I told you to use the scissors, love, but you didn’t listen,” Jong Kook teased. “Now come on, just continue opening it, Ji Hyo-yah. I promise, you’re almost there!”   “Can’t you just