Kyung Soo had his first nightmare at the age of six.

“UWAHHH!” the startled boy screamed as he shot up from his sleeping position, body trembling badly as the last scene of his nightmare replays over and over in his head. The trembling boy slid  down so he is now curled up in the middle of his bed, only to realize his beloved Mr Teddy is still left outside, exposed to the huge creature hunting them down a few minutes ago (in his dream).

Timidly putting one of his hands out to reach for his cocoa brown teddy bear sitting next to his pillow, he managed to retrieve it after some time (and peeking beneath the covers). Kyung Soo squished his warm body against the brown cotton body, hoping that he could get back to lala land soon after, which didn’t happen unfortunately.

A soft groan can be heard from the other side of the room as another boy was roused from his deep sleep by the scream. Rubbing his eyes, the groggy boy turned and squinted at the bed not far from his left, trying to make out the surroundings from the limited moonlight shining through the window. An obvious bump was in the middle under the pale blue covers and the little boy could see that it was shaking terribly. Leaving his comfortable bed, the little boy walked over to the other bed and pulls the covers over.

“Kyung Soo, what are you doing? Why are you not sleeping?” the now fully awake little boy tilted his head in confusion.  His friend was in a foetus position, hands clutching tightly onto his teddy bear and head burrowed deeply into the teddy bear’s cotton body.

Kyung Soo let out a gasp and buries his head into Mr Teddy’s soft brown body when he felt the warm covers being pulled away, leaving him exposed to the cold air. Squeezing his eyes shut, Kyung Soo braced for the worst until he picks up his friend’s hoarse voice right next to him.

“BAEK HYUN HYUNG!!” Kyung Soo screamed, throwing Mr Teddy aside before jumping onto Baek Hyun, sending the both of them crashing against the white tiled floor. “What was that for.. ouch…” the older boy groaned , but stopped when he realized his friend was clinging tightly onto him, face buried into his chest.

“I… I… was chased by a g-g-giant dinosaur! Mr Teddy almost got eaten up by it! It was so scary!!” the younger boy broke down and Baek Hyun quickly gives him a tight hug. “It is just a dream Kyung Soo! My mama told me that dreams happen when we are sleeping! I had one too before too! A witch tried to zap me into a rat with her broomstick!”

Baek Hyun picked up Mr Teddy from the bed and gives it to Kyung Soo, who has stopped crying and started listening intently to his friend’s story, big teary eyes not leaving the older boy’s exaggerated gestures. Soon the once crying boy was laughing at the other’s stupid jokes, totally forgetting the bad dream he had just a while ago.

“Baek Hyun hyungggggg, sleep with me pleaseeeeeee.” Kyung Soo whined, grabbing onto the older boy’s hand tightly when Baek Hyun was about to head for his bed after tucking the younger in.  Baek Hyun can’t help but give in to the younger boy’s request, climbing up onto Kyung Soo’s bed as the other scooted closer to him, with Mr Teddy squashed in between the both of them.

“Sleep tight Kyung Soo. And don’t worry, with me around, no dinosaurs will dare to come near you!”

“Hehe. Thank-you! Goodnight!”

“Goodnight!”