In "Cranes," Song-sam's memories of Tok-chae reveal that their relationship was mostly

Tok-chae and Song-sam were childhood friends. In the story Song-sam escorted Tok-chae when he got caught as a prisoner by the government. Tok-chae was a communist leader in a farmers' organization. Although they were both on the different political sides. Song-sam still treated him as a friend not an enemy.