Tokchae and Songsam were close childhood friends, and they shared many adventures together. When they were young, they had once decided to climb a tree and steal some chestnuts. In the midst of their crime, the owner of the tree had discovered them, and he had begun shouting. This had frightened Songsam so much that he slipped, falling from the tree onto the ground. Worse, he landed on his bottom, which became covered in chestnut needles.

With both his pride and his bottom injured, Songsam asked his friend Tokchae to help him find some relief from the needles after they had escaped the old man. Tokchae had plucked each painful needle out of his friend's backside; the pain was so great that Songsam found himself crying through this act. In an effort to comfort his friend, Tokchae had thrust his own chestnuts into Songsam's pocket. This act demonstrates that Tokchae was willing to sacrifice his own happiness to comfort and encourage Songsam.

At the end of the story, Songsam faces a weighty decision. Tasked with delivering his friend to authorities, Songsam quite literally holds his the life of his childhood friend in his hands. He decides to turn him loose, allowing Tokchae to run toward freedom instead of captivity. This ending demonstrates that the bonds of true friendship, as was demonstrated in Tokchae's actions with the chestnuts as a child, have the power to overcome political and ideological differences.