Character Relationship Map: Clover

Characters

• Saya Suzuki (played by Emi Takei) — protagonist

  Saya Suzuki is a hotel employee at Hotel Toyo who is dimwitted and frequently scolded by her supervisor, Susumu Tsuge. She still loves Haruki Hino, her former school sweetheart, but gradually realizes...

• Susumu Tsuge (played by Tadayoshi Okura) — supporting

  Susumu Tsuge is Saya Suzuki’s proud, well-educated, and career-oriented supervisor at Hotel Toyo. He begins dating Saya and offers to help her recover from her past heartbreak, but work abroad and rum...

• Haruki Hino (played by Kento Nagayama) — supporting

  Haruki Hino is a famous singer, aspiring theatre artist, and former school sweetheart of Saya Suzuki. He and Saya once eloped before being separated when he was sent to America. After returning as a t...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Saya Suzuki → Haruki Hino (Romantic Childhood Sweethearts) — Their youthful romance establishes Saya's belief in finding the right person through a four-leaf clover.

  Saya and Haruki were in love during their school days and attempted to elope together.

• Saya Suzuki → Susumu Tsuge (Professional Supervisor) — Tsuge supervises Saya at the hotel and initially treats her as an error-prone subordinate.

  Saya works at Hotel Toyo under Susumu Tsuge, who frequently scolds her for making mistakes.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Susumu Tsuge → Haruki Hino (Conflict Romantic Rival) — Tsuge and Haruki become rivals for Saya's affection.

  Tsuge doubts Saya's relationship with Haruki after photos of them are published, while Haruki later tries to rekindle his past with Saya.

Story Analysis

A woman must distinguish youthful nostalgia from enduring love before choosing the partner who truly stands with her.

Plot Progression

1. A Reluctant New Romance — Saya works under Tsuge and is repeatedly scolded for her mistakes. Tsuge unexpectedly asks her out, leading Saya to reveal her painful history with Haruki.
2. The Past Returns — Haruki returns as a teen icon and reconnects with Saya during a hotel event. Their renewed friendship unsettles the emotional recovery that Tsuge proposed.
3. Distance and Suspicion — Tsuge leaves for a six-month foreign assignment while rumors surround his connection to the hotel owner's daughter. Saya grows closer to Haruki as Tsuge becomes less responsive.
4. Choosing Against the Past — Tsuge's engagement is revealed, and published photographs fuel distrust between the couple. After their breakup, Haruki revives their childhood memories, but Saya still chooses Tsuge.
5. Love Before Everyone — Tsuge is trapped by a forced marriage arrangement, while Saya attends the engagement party in sorrow. He publicly declares his love, preserves his position, and reunites with Saya through the clover s...