Kohaku is a 6-year-old leopard gecko who lives in Japan.Back in 2017, he gained attention around the world for his happy grins after getting a toy gecko that looks exactly like him.It's not clear whether Kohaku understands his new friend is real or not, but maybe it doesn't matter. The simple fact is that they're now BFFs. Meanwhile, the world just can't get over the gecko's adorably delighted reactions. Source:Instagram/@589_tomo

The two best buds play together and cuddle, and Kohaku's happy smiles are to die for.Sure, his pal might be a plastic toy, but he's real to him.By the way, Kohaku has an Instagram account with 31,000 followers. Apparently, all you have to do to get social media followers is to be an adorable animal. And Kohaku and his mini-me certainly fit the bill. Source:Instagram/@589_tomo

The duo gained international attention after a Twitter user named Taylor Nicole Dean shared some photos of them in May 2017."Look how happy this little gecko is with his gecko toy," was all she said, but it was enough — Kohaku and his mate went viral.By the way, there's more important information: the toy's name is Chinmari, and although Kohaku's owner's been flooded with requests to share where they found it, they say it came from a vending machine in Japan. Therefore, they wouldn't know where to find a similar one a second time. Source:Instagram/@589_tomo

As it turns out, Chinmari might be the perfect buddy for Kohaku for more than one reason.Leopard geckos can be quite territorial, meaning two males will often fight if they're in the same enclosure. Problems also arise even if two geckos contained together are different sexes. So, the best choice is to give leopard geckos their own space. With Chinmari, Kohaku is safe and healthy yet he still has a friend! Source:Instagram/@589_tomo

People all over the world have become fans of these gecko friends."How is he dealing with his newfound fame?" asked one user shortly after the adorable reptile went viral. Clearly, the answer is "very well," since Kohaku has been happy to take plenty of pictures, some with a big grin, others with his tongue sticking out or even giving the camera a wink. Source:Instagram/@589_tomo

"These hardy saurians come in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes," says an excerpt from Reptiles Magazine."This is a great species for the home. Imagine a lizard that can vocalize and wash an eye with its tongue without any problem. There's a friendly dinosaur in this small package." Source:Instagram/@589_tomo

Not everyone would refer to Kohaku as a dinosaur, but one thing is for certain: he sure is friendly! With all the negative and stressful news in the world, it's nice to sit back sometimes and take pleasure in the small things, like a gecko with his toy. Please SHARE this with your friends and family. Source:Instagram/@589_tomo