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#4
Chichi felt betrayed as much as Dongo was ugly. He believed that Dongo would understand him even though no other hedgehogs did. However, the senseless Dongo greatly disappointed him.
Even if he ignored misunderstandings about hedgehogs and lived with all his might, what was going to change? He thought it over, but he couldn’t see any bright future as a hedgehog.
“There’s no future for a hedgehog.”
Chichi power walked toward the sun. His mind was full of thoughts of where to begin to live as a rabbit or a squirrel. He thought that the most important thing is not to look like a hedgehog. He wanted to take off his spine cape, but since it was impossible, he decided not to let his spines come out no matter what, so that it would look like just a rough fur coat. He thought that it was a pretty good idea because winter was coming. Feeling satisfied with his plan, Chichi finally felt better.
“Ouch!” exclaimed Chichi who was walking, only looking at the ground.
He raised his head, rubbing his forehead, but then he flopped down.
“I don’t think you’re going to hurt my mouth.”
A poisonous snake darted its split tongue.
#5
Thinking that Chichi had really left like that, Dongo rushed out to follow Chichi. He hit upon an answer to his last question!
“Chichi!”
Seeing Chichi from a distance, Dongo ran to him, all excited. Then he saw the snake standing in front of Chichi, and he sprinted toward them.
Chichi was scared stiff. Something resounded in his mind as if Dongo was saying though Dongo had never said that to him:
‘This is the moment you use your spines!’
It was like an alarm. However, he knew that at the moment he let even one of his spines come out, he would look absurd because he just left, saying that he was going to leave his life of a hedgehog.
‘What should I do?’
But his desire to live was fiercer than his desire to keep up appearances. But no matter how hard he tried to let his spines come out, his cape wasn’t moving at all.
“Scared, huh? You don’t even know how to use your weapon!”
There was nothing Chichi could do except looking at the giggling snake, quivering with fear.
“Don’t blame me. You had enough time!”
The poisonous snake opened his mouth wide. Drops of deadly venom dripped from his two fangs.
Chichi shut his eyes tight.
“Stop! You like a poisonous snake!”
‘Like a poisonous snake? He is!’ For some reason, that voice made Chichi think of Dongo. He was indescribably thankful that someone appeared at the perfect time, but whoever that was, he seemed dopey. While the tension was eased briefly, Chichi opened one of his eyes slightly. Oh, my! Really? It was him!
“Dongo!”
Dongo stood in front of Chichi, snorting. Then he pushed his body inside his spine cape. His spines that covered his body came out in full. His body looked humongous.
Then the poisonous snake slowly closed his mouth, and slithered away. The critical situation where Chichi almost lost his life was all solved as soon as Dongo appeared. Chichi was at a loss for words. It was an event of a life time. Hedgehogs were awesome!
“Chi, Chichi! Are you, you . . .?”
“I’m okay.”
Confirming that the poisonous snake was gone, Dongo stuck out his head and quickly helped Chichi up. Chichi looked at Dongo. He still looked nervous and was stammering, and his face looked more wrinkly from his tight spine cape, but he looked awesome.
Chichi felt ashamed of himself. Come to think of it, he had never lived a life as a hedgehog properly. He didn’t even know how to use the spines. But still, he acted as if he knew everything. And also, he was the one who had all misunderstandings about hedgehogs which he hated to hear. Dongo seemed to live in hiding, but he went out whenever he needed to. He didn’t miss the chance to show his courage, either.
Despite all kinds of misunderstandings that come from not knowing about hedgehogs correctly, Chichi’s fellow hedgehogs live their lives as hedgehogs faithfully just as Dongo does. As if to say, “Although you don’t really know, we are actually not like how you think. Misunderstandings are only misunderstandings,” they prove the truth about themselves with their whole body. Hedgehogs just need to live like hedgehogs. And it is not even possible to live as a different animal since they are born as hedgehogs.
“Thank you.”
Chichi said in a feeble voice. Dongo’s spines collapsed.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
Dongo’s legs were shaking as his muscles relaxed. It could’ve been very bad. Everything went well, and Dongo was very glad that he was able to save Chichi.
“Um, you know . . .”
“Uh?”
Chichi hesitated. There was one thing he wanted to correct in the things he poured out to Dongo thoughtlessly earlier, but he felt shy. Chichi looked away from Dongo and said quickly,
“Um, you are not that ugly.”
Chichi’s spines began to come out one by one. Dongo tried to calm down his lips that twitched to a smile. He thought that this little hedgehog needed to learn how to use the spines and how to talk in a gentle manner.
‘Are you happy that you are a hedgehog?’
Repeating Chichi’s question in his mind, Dongo gave a belated answer.
“I’m happy that I’m a hedgehog.”
Chichi smiled silently.
