Once upon a time, in a big park full of fluffy trees, silly slides, and secret hiding spots, three little friends were playing together under a sky as blue as a marshmallow.
Floocky, the bouncy little polar bear in his starry pajamas, was hopping all around.
Next to him, Puki the piglet in his green overalls hugged his favorite book tight, even while playing, because it always made him feel safe.
"It?s your turn to count, Floocky," said Puki in his soft voice, covering his eyes with his little hooves.
Floocky nodded very hard.
"Otaaay! Fwooky count now! One... two... five... many... ten-teeen!" he shouted with giggles around his glowing pacifier.
Puki giggled softly.
"That's not how you count..."
But too late! Floocky had already shouted:
"Here I cooomeeeh! Polop, Poki, wheeere awe youuu?"
He bounced through the grass, his bear ears flopping on his hoodie. Puki stepped shyly out from behind a swing.
"Floocky... I?m here. I wasn?t hidden very well..."
"Hii hii! Fwound yooou Poki piggieee! But... where Poowop go? He gone poof!"
Puki frowned a little.
"He?s really good, you know... He?s super tiny and super smart. One time, he hid in a toy box and nobody found him."
"Ooooh... Poowop is ninja wabbit..." whispered Floocky, eyes wide.
The two friends searched everywhere: behind benches, under the wooden fort, even in the park dog?s basket. The dog just blinked at them, confused.
But there was no sign of Polop Bunbun.
What Floocky and Puki didn't know was that their friend had curled up behind a hollow tree trunk, just big enough for a tiny bunny. His sailor shirt blended in with the shadows, and his boat-shaped backpack looked like hidden treasure.
"Poooolooop? If you come out, I'll give you a huuuuug!" called Puki in a shy little voice.
"An? Fwooky shawe glowy tetiiine!"
Still no answer.
"Do you think he went home?" asked Puki, a little worried.
Floocky looked up at the clouds, thinking hard.
"Nooope. Poowop is da knight of da night... he must be in a buuunny cloud..."
Meanwhile, behind the twisty old tree, Polop Bunbun held a paw over his mouth, trying not to laugh.
In his mind, he smirked:
"Hehe... They'll never find me. I could stay here all day! Until those big babies need new diapers! Haha!"
"No way they're getting into the Little Explorers School at this rate..."
He wriggled a bit to get more comfy...
CRACK.
The ground gave way under his soft little feet.
"Huh?!" gasped Polop.
And SPLASH! He disappeared like a peanut in a puddle.
The old trunk creaked gently, revealing a round, dark opening where he had been sitting... like a little bunny well.
A burrow.
But not just any burrow. This one wasn?t dirty or dark. It was smooth and soft, lined with glowing moss and rooty ribbons.
Polop?s eyes grew wide as he fell slowly, like in a dream.
"Ooooh... So this is a bunny hole? It?s... beautiful."
Around him, firefly lanterns lit up gently, casting a golden glow. Tinkly chimes sang in the distance. The air smelled like honey.
Polop landed softly on a feather mat.
He stayed still for a moment, mouth open in wonder.
"I think... I just found a secret world..."
Polop Bunbun walked through the tunnel, his tiny paws padding on the mossy floor.
The deeper he went, the stranger he felt... like he remembered this place from a dream or a story.
"Wait... This tunnel... the lights... the hush..."
His heart beat gently, not scared... just amazed.
"I've seen this before... In a dream... or my favorite book..."
He followed the soft light all the way to the end of the tunnel. And suddenly, he stepped into a round, quiet room under the earth.
In the middle was a big stone washbasin, glowing with little hanging lanterns like stars.
Beside it... a pile of soft, crumpled white sheets.
Polop stopped.
He blinked... then frowned.
"...Wait a second... These are... my sheets?"
He stepped closer and touched the cloth, stitched with tiny boats.
SNIFF.
A smell reached his nose.
"Ewwww... It smells like pee..." he said with a grimace, jumping back.
He looked around, feeling smaller than before. A little more... shy.
"Why are my sheets here...? Who brought them...?"
He hugged his backpack tight, heart beating faster. He didn't want to cry - oh no, Polop Bunbun didn't just cry like that - but a tiny lump was forming in his tummy.
"Do they know...? About the accident the other night...?"
His ears drooped. He didn't like this feeling.
Polop stood still, staring at the wet sheets, nose all scrunched up.
He reached out his paw...
And just as he touched the damp cloth...
"FOOOUND YOUUUU!"
Two happy voices rang out behind him.
Polop jumped and spun around.
Floocky came running with a giggle, his bear hood bouncing and pacifier glowing.
"Yoo lost, Poowop! You was sweepin?! Heehee!"
Puki followed slowly, hugging his book, but smiling sweetly.
"We found you. And... you?re all wet. Again," he said gently.
Polop blinked. The magic tunnel, the glowing lights, the bunny hole... all gone.
He was in a small play hut in the park. A cozy corner with pillows and a blanket he?d probably pulled there himself.
He looked down. His pajamas were damp.
He must?ve fallen asleep while hiding. And like sometimes at night...
"...Oh..." he whispered, ears low.
Floocky bounced up and gave him a friendly pat.
"Iz otay, Poowop. I peepee in my dweam too once! Dere was a sinnnngin? fountaiiin sayin? ?peeeepiii!?"
Puki nodded, sat beside him, and put his book down.
"It's really okay, you know. It's happened to me too. Even to big kids. We're still your best friends. Always."
Polop looked up, a tiny smile peeking out. Warmth filled his heart. It wasn't shame... it was something else. Comfort. Real friendship.
He wiped his nose and said in his best serious voice:
"Okay... but I was super well hidden."
"Yaaaas! But you sweeped on yo? tweasure an? peepee?d on it!" Floocky shouted, laughing.
The three friends burst into giggles, their voices bouncing through the play hut, full of joy, silliness, and just a tiny bit of pee... but mostly love.