I dreamt that I was in a brightly-lit commercial store and having a chat with an acquaintance about the products and services that the place offered. I was seated behind the counter while he was leaning over to make it easier for him to hear me.
At the same time, a good friend was done with his business and about to leave the store when his gaze landed on me. Knowing that he wasn't of the same nationality as me and he loved hugs (like really, really loved them), I took the initiative to give him a goodbye hug.
One thing led to another and we left the store together while behaving like we were high on alcohol as we made our way down a dim alley. Obviously, I was worried, but when I saw the streetlight shining on a signboard at the end of the road and with him there, I knew that I was okay because we were about to arrive at the main road.
So, here comes the dream interpretation.
From the get-go, the moment the place appeared in the dream, I already knew that this place exists in real life. Even the placement of the streetlights in the back alley too.
About the part where I gave the good friend a hug, I actually don't know the person in real life, which makes the interpretation a tad bit difficult. I suppose we can approach it from two angles - where I know the person and us being strangers in reality.
"Dreaming of hugging a friend – If you dreamed of hugging some friend, that dream could indicate that your friend needs some help from you, especially if your friend was the one hugging you. If you hugged your friend in your dream, that dream could be revealing your current feelings of loneliness and isolation." - Dream Astro Meanings
Judging from the way the said person behaved in the dream, it was giving me the aura of someone else - a person whom I know. I'm not sure whether he needs my help because we've barely been in contact for a long time now, so maybe it's me who is subconsciously feeling the effects of self-isolation?
How about us being strangers in real life?
"Dreaming of hugging a stranger – If you had a dream about hugging some stranger, that dream often isn’t a good sign. It could indicate being gossiped about by someone. This dream asks you to pay attention to the people you trust or spend your time with.
Sometimes, this dream could indicate some unexpected meeting with someone. Someone could make a surprising visit to you, such as a close friend or a relative. You might unexpectedly see someone in a place you hang around a lot." - Dream Astro Meanings
Considering the fact that I don't know the said person in real life, I suppose this dream is more like an advance warning to be on the lookout, but hey, who knows that it might be hinting at the second part whereby there is an unexpected meaning with someone?
"Dream about street light means awareness. You are experiencing a high level of stress. You are a team player and work well with others. The dream is about your unconscious mind and its suppressed content. There is an unexpected setback in your plans or goals." - Dreams'opedia
As for the streetlight, I'd say that there is some element of truth in this since the nature of my work borders will be a typical example of it.
The conclusion? Either I'm stressed and insecure in my daily life or just so uptight that my subconscious is trying to search for something to knock the stress out.
