For missjaja

Four-leaf Clover 

Leaf One

It was when they were five years old that Luhan and Namjoo discovered four-leaf clovers. Their parents had taken them out on a picnic, since it was the start of spring, and the weather just called for it to be spent outside. It was like one of those clichéd moments, where you set up a picnic blanket under a large over-arching tree, the skies would be clear and blue, there was picnic basket filled with scrumptious sandwiches, and there would be butterflies that the children would chase and try to catch. But let’s get back to reality, because there were no butterflies, but there were delicious sandwiches, a somewhat large tree (not over-arching), and the picnic blanket was just the jackets of the two fathers and an actual blanket.

Namjoo and Luhan were sent off to play after lunch while their parents conversed, and enjoyed the quiet of the outdoors. Other kids were flying their kites or running around with their dogs or occupying the playground, so little Luhan took Namjoo’s hands and dragged her over to the empty field of grass. When she asked what they were doing, Luhan shrugged his shoulders and said that they were looking for treasure.

“You looked a bit sad when you saw the kites. We can have fun by ourselves here.”

Luhan began to tickle Namjoo who managed to push his off and run away. He chased after her and they collapsed on the grass. They saw that there was a small hill, and they decided to roll down on it. When they landed at the bottom, Luhan spotted a four-leaf clover and plucked it out.

“Look at this.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I saw it poking out from the grass.”

“Is there another one?”

“Let’s look. I told you we would find treasure!”

The two kids started to look for another one, but they couldn’t find any. Luhan sensed that she as sad again and gave it to her.

“You can have mine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“We can share.”

“Okay.”

They ran back to their parents when they saw them waving them over.

“Omma! Appa! Look what we found!”

“What is it?”

Namjoo handed the clover over and their parents smiled.

“This is a four-leaf clover. It’s very lucky.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s rare to find them.”

“So that’s why there was only one.”

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Leaf Two

When they were ten years old, Namjoo finally got a puppy. Namjoo called Luhan over to the park so that they could walk the dog. When they arrived at the park, Namjoo and Luhan fawned over the puppy remarking that it was very cute, especially when it tried to roll over on its back. They played in that large field again, and they had hours of fun trying to chase after the small dog.

“Namjoo-yah, did you give him a name yet?”

“Ani. I just got him this morning. I’m still thinking of a name.”

“Okay. Tell me when you come up with the name.”

“Let’s play a game?”

“What about the puppy?”

“We can tie him to a tree for now.”

They tied the dog to the tree and decided to roll down that hill again, like when they were five. They started laughing but then Namjoo found the little dog her face. Luhan doubled over again in laughter.

“How did he get loose?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we didn’t tie it tight enough around the tree.”

“At least he knows who his owner is.”

“Look, he’s trying to roll over.”

This time the puppy successfully did it and when Luhan patted it to smooth off the grass on its coat, he found another four-leaf clover.

“Namjoo-yah, look!”

“Wahhh…it’s another four-leafed clover!”

“You must be really lucky today then.”

“Yeah! I think I know what to name him now.”

“Lucky?”

“Yup. He’s like a little lucky charm.”

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Leaf Three

The demands of high school tests were getting to Luhan and Namjoo. They both needed a pick-me-up, so they decided to meet at the park and look for four-leaf clovers that they could take into class the next day. They spent a good hour searching but they couldn’t find any. They retreated back to that large over-arching tree and sat down.

“I could draw you one?”

“What?”

“I’ll just draw you a four-leaf clover.”

“That defeats the purpose of us trying to find one.”

“I can guarantee that it will still be lucky.”

“How?”

“Because I’m the only one that seems to find them, remember? That means that I’m the lucky one.”

“Not really.”

“Are you sure.”

“Yep.”

“Then why do I have this?”

Namjoo looked to him and saw that he was holding a four-leaf clover on his palm.

“When did you find it?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Tell me!”

“I found it when we were walking here.”

“I didn’t see you…”

“That’s because you were walking in front of me…”

He gave it to her.

“It’s for you.”

“No. You should have it. You always give it to me. You need it for your test too…”

“I don’t need it for a test. I told you, I’m already lucky.”

“Okay…”

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Leaf Four

Namjoo was having a bad day. She had not gotten the photography job that she had wanted, and so she called up Luhan, who decided to take her to the park. It was another one of those clichéd moments, Namjoo was upset and Luhan had his arm around her back trying to comfort her. It was a scene out of a romantic film, but the reality was, that they weren’t a couple. Luhan planned to change that.

“Here. Sit.”

Namjoo did as she was told and stared off into the distance.

“Can I borrow your camera?”

“Sure. It’s not like I need it anyway.”

Luhan took it off of her and disappeared. He returned ten minutes later with a big smile on his face. He handed her back the camera.

“Why are you so happy?”

“Because…just look at this.”

He the camera and she saw a photo of them when they were kids and they had just discovered their first four-leaf clover. He flicked through a few more and then he covered up the screen.

“Wae? I was enjoying those.”

“This next one is a new photo I just took. It’s for you.”

He unveiled the photograph of him smiling and holding a four-leaf clover in his hand.

“You didn’t get the job today, but the next one, you definitely will. Because you have me and this four-leaf clover in your camera. You’ll definitely be lucky.”

“Thank you.”

“And here…”

He opened his palm to find that the four-leaf clover he brought over was not ruined as one of the petals fell off.

“Sorry…I must’ve crushed it.”

“It’s alright.”

“You know, there’s another meaning for the four-leaf clover?”

“What is it?”

He flipped to the next photo on her camera, which showed that she spelt out the words ‘will you be mine?’ using the grass.

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yes. How could I say no to the guy that knows when I’m sad and cheers me up by suggesting we go on a treasure hunt? How could I say no to the guy that gives up his lucky four-leaf clovers to give them to me? How could I say no to my own personal lucky charm?”

“I’m your lucky charm?”

“Of course you are. It wasn’t the clover, it was you. All the good moments, I spent them with you.”