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Plot Summary

Clover (2014) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 120 mins · Japanese
Directed by
Takeshi Furusawa
Starring
Kento Nagayama, Haruka Kinami, Tadayoshi Okura, Masahiko Nishimura, Natsuna Watanabe, Emi Takei

Saya Suzuki is an ordinary employee working at a hotel. She falls in love with her elite boss Susumu Tsuge. Through their romance, Saya Suzuki grows as a person.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Clover: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Clover (2014) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Saya Suzuki, Emi Takei, is a hotel employee at Hotel Toyo who labors under the steady gaze of her supervisor, Susumu Tsuge, Tadayoshi Okura. He is portrayed as a proud, well-educated, and career-driven man who keeps the front desk and corridors humming with a strict, but fair, professional cadence. Saya, a bit scatterbrained and prone to mistakes, often finds herself under Tsuge’s corrective eye, which creates a tense but undeniably functional dynamic at the workplace.

One day, in a moment that catches her off guard, Tsuge asks her out on a date. Reluctantly, Saya agrees, curiosity mixing with a hint of anxiety about what such an unexpected invitation could mean for her already complicated life. On the date, she opens up about a long-ago chapter with Haruki Hino, Kento Nagayama, a famous singer and aspiring theatre artist. In their school days, Saya and Haruki were deeply in love and even eloped, only to be found by the police. They believed that finding a four-leaf clover signified that they had found the one. The elopement’s failure sent Haruki to America, leaving Saya heartbroken. He returns later as a teen idol, a public symbol that stirs old emotions and new insecurities in Saya.

Tsuge, ever practical, suggests that he rehabilitate Saya—helping her move toward loving again, with time and distance. As the pair navigate an organized event together, Saya and Haruki meet again and reconnect, gradually forming a bond of friendship that is tinged with shared history and unspoken romantic tension.

Meanwhile, Tsuge’s career ambitions push him toward a foreign branch of Hotel Toyo. He accepts the opportunity, and rumors swirl about his potential romance with Shiori Tsutsui, the hotel owner’s daughter, Natsuna Watanabe. Those rumors feed Saya’s insecurities as she confronts the realities of a growing distance between them during Tsuge’s six-month work assignment.

During Tsuge’s absence, Saya and Haruki spend more time together, and their relationship—rooted in memories and mutual understanding—becomes more intimate as they lean on each other for support. When Tsuge finally returns, Shiori becomes engaged to him, and photos of Saya and Haruki appear in the media, fueling a whirlwind of gossip and doubt. Saya challenges Tsuge about the engagement and his closeness with Shiori, and he begins to doubt Saya’s relationship with Haruki. The tension peaks as Saya and Tsuge end their relationship; Haruki, sensing the opportunity, makes a move to rekindle what they once shared, but Saya chooses to stay committed to Tsuge.

Complications multiply when Shiori drugs Tsuge to spend the night with her and uses the act to blackmail him into marrying her. Their engagement is publicly announced at a gala, and the party scene becomes a clash of old loyalties and new desires. Saya is tasked with delivering a bouquet to the engaged couple, but she drops it in a moment of heartbreak and jealousy, only to search frantically for a four-leaf clover that might vindicate her feelings.

In a dramatic turn, Tsuge declares his love for Saya in front of everyone, an act that shifts the room’s mood and complicates the power dynamics at the hotel. Yet the reconciliation is not straightforward: Tsuge’s pride fractures, and he becomes increasingly submissive to Shiori, a development that strains his own sense of purpose. The hotel CEO is moved by Tsuge’s outburst for Saya and grants him the chance to keep his job, a precarious but meaningful victory.

As the story unfolds, Saya loses the clover once more but eventually discovers it tucked under a table, a symbolic sign that she may have found her true match at last. The film closes with a post-credits glimpse of a final, lasting union: Saya and Tsuge are married, their complicated history giving way to a quiet future together.

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:05

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Plot questions answered

Clover Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Clover (2014): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Susumu Tsuge ask Saya out despite being her supervisor?

Tsuge asks Saya out because he has developed genuine feelings for her, despite his strict professional demeanor. His frequent corrections of her work mistakes actually stem from personal interest rather than disapproval. This moment shows he is willing to step outside his professional role to pursue a personal connection with her.

Foreshadowing: His constant corrections of her work foreshadow his personal interest in her.

  • Tsuge asks Saya out
  • supervisor romance
  • workplace dating
Q2

Why does Tsuge offer to help Saya move on from Haruki?

Tsuge offers to "rehabilitate" Saya because he wants her to become emotionally available for a genuine relationship with him. Rather than competing directly with Haruki's past memories, he positions himself as someone who can help her heal and develop new, healthier feelings. This reflects his practical, solution-oriented approach to romance rather than waiting passively.

  • Tsuge helps Saya
  • move on from ex
  • Haruki past
  • emotional recovery
Q3

Why does Tsuge accept the foreign branch assignment despite knowing it would strain his relationship with Saya?

Tsuge accepts the foreign branch assignment primarily to advance his career ambitions within Hotel Toyo. The opportunity represents a significant promotion and professional growth that aligns with his career-driven nature. However, this decision creates physical and emotional distance between them, allowing Haruki to grow closer to Saya during his six-month absence.

  • Tsuge career
  • foreign assignment
  • Hotel Toyo
  • promotion
  • distance relationship
Q4

What does the four-leaf clover symbolize in this story?

The four-leaf clover represents the belief that finding one means you have found your true soulmate. Saya and Haruki shared this superstition from their school days and eloped believing they had found "the one." The clover resurfaces throughout the film as a symbol of destiny, appearing when Saya and Tsuge find their way back to each other, suggesting true love can be found again.

Foreshadowing: Their childhood belief that the clover signifies destiny foreshadows its reappearance at the climax.

  • four-leaf clover
  • soulmate
  • destiny
  • symbolism
  • childhood love
Q5

Why does Shiori drug Tsuge and force him to marry her?

Shiori drugs Tsuge to create a compromising situation she can use as leverage against him. By having him spend the night with her and then possessing evidence, she blackmails him into marriage, using his sense of honor and the hotel's reputation against him. This manipulative act reveals her desperate and controlling nature in pursuit of securing what she wants.

  • Shiori blackmails Tsuge
  • drugs
  • forced marriage
  • manipulation
  • Hotel Toyo
Q6

Why does Tsuge publicly declare his love for Saya at Shiori's engagement party?

Tsuge publicly declares his love for Saya because he can no longer suppress his genuine feelings despite the circumstances. Although manipulated into the engagement with Shiori, his love for Saya proves stronger than his fear of social consequences or professional repercussions. The public declaration represents his breaking point and commitment to following his heart.

  • Tsuge declares love
  • public confession
  • engagement party
  • choose Saya
Q7

Why does Tsuge become submissive to Shiori after his public declaration?

After publicly declaring his love for Saya, Tsuge loses his previous pride and confidence. His declaration humiliated him in front of colleagues and superiors, leaving him emotionally vulnerable and unsure of his place at the hotel. This humbling experience causes him to become more submissive to Shiori, though this dynamic ultimately bores her and helps dissolve their forced engagement.

  • Tsuge humiliation
  • pride loss
  • submissive
  • Shiori
  • emotional breakdown
Q8

Why does Saya choose Tsuge over Haruki despite their past?

Saya chooses Tsuge over Haruki because their relationship has grown into something real and present, not based solely on nostalgic memories. While Haruki represents her impulsive past, Tsuge has shown consistent commitment through his actions and emotional journey. Her choice reflects her personal growth from a girl who eloped impulsively to a woman who makes a conscious decision about her future.

  • Saya chooses Tsuge
  • Haruki vs Tsuge
  • love triangle decision
  • personal growth
Q9

What were the leaked photos of Saya and Haruki, and why did they matter?

The leaked photos showed Saya and Haruki together during Tsuge's six-month absence, suggesting an inappropriate relationship. These photos fueled rumors and jealousy, directly challenging Tsuge's trust in Saya. The media attention intensified the love triangle's tension and contributed to the breakdown of Saya and Tsuge's relationship at that critical moment.

  • leaked photos
  • Haruki Saya
  • rumors
  • media
  • jealousy
Q10

How does the CEO's decision to keep Tsuge's job affect the outcome?

The hotel CEO, moved by Tsuge's public declaration of love for Saya, decides to let him keep his job despite the scandal. This support removes the major obstacle preventing Saya and Tsuge from being together by assuring Tsuge's career survival. It frees them to pursue their relationship without the fear of him losing his position at Hotel Toyo.

  • CEO decision
  • Tsuge job
  • Hotel Toyo
  • support
  • happy ending
Q11

Why does Saya drop the bouquet at Shiori's engagement party?

Saya drops the bouquet during the engagement party because she is overwhelmed by heartbreak and jealousy while delivering it to the newly engaged couple. In her emotional state, she accidentally drops it, but this moment leads her to frantically search for the four-leaf clover, symbolizing her last hope for finding her true match.

  • bouquet
  • engagement party
  • heartbreak
  • clover search
  • emotional moment

Movie threads

More Movies Like Clover, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Clover tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Workplace Romances with Personal Growth like Clover

Where professional aspirations intertwine with the delicate threads of new love. Find movies like Clover that blend career ambitions with heartfelt romance. These stories feature characters who find love at work, facing obstacles that lead to significant personal development. If you enjoyed Saya's journey of growth and love in Clover, you'll appreciate these similar narratives.

  • romantic
  • sentimental
  • hopeful
  • dramatic
  • uplifting
  • professional
  • Tone: hopeful, romantic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a professional connection that deepens into romance, complicated by office hierarchies, jealousy, or rivalries. The central conflict often forces the protagonist to choose between their heart and their career, or to find a way to balance both, ultimately resulting in both romantic fulfillment and professional maturity.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared setting—the workplace—as a catalyst for romance and by the strong theme of personal evolution. The mix of professional tension with emotional vulnerability creates a specific, relatable dynamic that resonates with viewers.

Hopeful Dramas with a Satisfying Ending like Clover

Emotional journeys through conflict that ultimately lead to a heartwarming conclusion. Discover movies similar to Clover that guide you through emotional challenges but leave you feeling hopeful and content. If you liked the way Clover blended dramatic conflicts like blackmail and a love triangle with its ultimately happy and uplifting ending, you'll find more satisfying stories here.

  • hopeful
  • sentimental
  • conflicted
  • uplifting
  • dramatic
  • nostalgic
  • Tone: hopeful, sentimental, uplifting
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The journey often involves a central character facing a series of obstacles that test their resilience, such as a complicated love triangle or external scheming. Despite moments of sadness and tension, the story's core remains hopeful, building towards a climax that resolves the conflicts in a way that feels earned and emotionally rewarding for the characters.

Why they belong together: They share a specific emotional recipe: a medium level of dramatic intensity and emotional weight, paired with a steady pacing that allows the story to breathe, all culminating in a happy or hopeful ending that provides a strong sense of closure and satisfaction.

Every angle

Clover (2014) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Clover in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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