Morning sunlight slipped softly through the bamboo roof of the small hut, lighting up the warm, peaceful room. You had fallen asleep on the wooden bed after a long morning walk through the forest. The air was quiet, calm, and gentleâexcept for one little creature who had absolutely no intention of letting you enjoy a full nap.
That little creature was Pico, the mischievous baby monkey who had made it his mission to be your tiny guardian, playmate, and sometimes⌠your biggest troublemaker.
Pico woke up early, stretching his tiny arms and yawning loudly. He blinked his big round eyes and looked around. The first thing he saw was you, sleeping on your side, mouth slightly open, completely unaware of the chaos about to happen.

Pico tilted his head.
âWhy is my friend sleeping so long?â he seemed to think.
He climbed quietly toward you, placing each step carefully so the bamboo floor wouldnât make a sound. But every few steps he giggledâbecause waking you up was his favorite game.
First, he poked your cheek with one tiny finger.
Nothing.
You just breathed out deeply and continued sleeping.
Picoâs eyes lit up. This was going to be fun.
He poked you again, this time a little harder.
Still nothing.

So Pico climbed onto your arm and dangled his small feet on your shoulder. He leaned down and peered into your peaceful face, his nose almost touching yours.
Then he stuck out his tongue.
YesâPico actually stuck out his tongue at you, as if challenging your sleepy state.
But you didnât move.
With a little squeaky sound, Pico rolled onto your chest and stretched out like a king taking over his territory. The rise and fall of your breathing made him bounce gently up and down like a soft ride. He loved it. But he wasnât done teasing you yet.
He leaned close to your ear and let out a tiny baby monkey soundâ
âKik! Kik!â
Still no reaction.

Thatâs when Pico decided it was time for Stage Two of his plan.
He hopped down, grabbed the end of your blanket, and tugged. It didnât move muchâhe was small, after allâbut he kept pulling with all the strength in his tiny arms. Slowly, slowly, the blanket slid down your legs.
You shivered a little, still half asleep, and pulled the blanket back up without opening your eyes.
Pico froze, his eyes wide.
âHe moved!â
Now the game was getting exciting.
He climbed up again, crawled onto your pillow, and began tapping your forehead gently. Tap, tap, tap. Each tap came with a little giggle. Then he took one piece of your hair, held it between his tiny fingers, and lifted it like it was a rope.
He played with it happily, twisting it, lifting it, letting it fall.
Your hair became his new toy.
After a minute, Pico sat proudly and puffed out his tiny chest. Surely, surely, you would wake up now.
You didnât.
So he leaned forward and gave you the lightest baby slap on your forehead.
âKik!â
Your eyes opened just a tiny bit.
Pico froze like a statue.
Then your eyes closed again.
Pico almost screamed in frustrationâhow could you still be sleeping? Didnât you know he wanted attention? Didnât you know he was bored?
He puffed his cheeks, huffed dramatically, and stomped his tiny feet in the most adorable way possible.
Then came Stage Three.
The ultimate plan.
The plan that worked every time.
Pico tip-toed to the edge of the bed, looked around, and grabbed his favourite treasure: a small, soft leaf he had brought in earlier. It was light and easy to hold, perfect for sneaky missions.
He climbed back up onto your chest, leaf in hand.
He held it over your face.
And he started brushing it across the tip of your nose.
At first, your nose twitched slightly.
Then again.
Picoâs eyes sparkled.
He brushed againâgently, quickly, playfully.
Your nose wrinkled.
Your lips moved.
Your hand lifted slightly.
And thenâ
âAhâchoo!â
You sneezed so suddenly that Pico jumped in the air with a squeak, flipping backward and landing right on your stomach.
Your eyes flew open.
Pico stared at you with the biggest innocent baby eyes he could possibly make.
You blinked at him.
He blinked back.
Then he gave you a huge grin.
You couldnât help laughing.
âPico⌠were you teasing me again?â
The little monkey clapped his hands, hopped in a circle on your stomach, and leaned forward to press his tiny forehead against yours. It was his way of saying yes, of course, and I love you all at once.
You sat up slowly, and Pico climbed onto your shoulder like he always did. He wrapped his little arms around your neck, nuzzling into your hair, still giggling.
âYou little troublemaker,â you said, scratching his back gently.
Pico made a proud sound as if receiving an honor.
Then he grabbed your cheek with both hands and pulled your face closer to hisâalmost like he wanted to say:
âWake up faster next time. Iâve been waiting forever!â
You laughed again, lifting him up into your hands while he flailed his arms excitedly. His tail curled around your wrist as he looked straight into your eyes with pure joy.
It was impossible to be annoyed with him.
After all, Picoâs teasing wasnât meant to bother youâit was his way of asking for love, attention, and a new day of fun adventures.
You got up from the bed, and Pico immediately climbed to the top of your head, settling there like a tiny furry crown. As you walked to the door, he tapped your forehead again, playfully reminding you that he was the boss of all naps and mornings.
Outside, the forest breeze welcomed both of you. Birds sang high in the trees, and sunlight danced over the leaves. Pico stretched his arms proudly as if saying, âNow the day can begin!â
You smiled, picked a piece of fruit from the table, and handed it to him. He accepted it with both hands, eyes glowing, tail curling happily.
And as he munched his snack on your shoulder, you thoughtâ
There was nothing sweeter in the world than waking up to a baby monkey who loved you so much that he couldnât resist teasing you awake.
Even if it meant losing a few minutes of sleep.
