4 Leaf Clover - ᴹˣᴹˣᴹˣᴹ

34.

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The picnic plan was underway. Tomorrow, Clover was anticipated to be directed to his home by the police officers assigned to him. He was fortunate enough that the station arranged to let both Finley and Elio come along, and he was awaiting an answer from Yuki. Clover tried not to let it obscure his mind, he was past the point of being distraught and he wanted to concentrate on the one single day he had left of his happiness.

As Elio had said, he spent the previous night and this morning sorting out a bunch of picnic food he had assembled in the kitchen. The spread featured an array of savoury snacks, including platters of cheese, crackers, and olives, alongside plates of delectable hot dishes. Elio had also crafted refreshing alcoholic beverages with various fresh fruit garnishes. Overall, the picnic promised to be a truly unforgettable experience based on the delicious assortment of food and drinks.

Finley and Clover had purchased a picnic blanket and some painting materials, hoping to do some fun painting while they ate and talked. After collecting the things, they went to Yuki's workplace. Clover noticed that the building appeared rather drab compared to the station, but upon closer inspection, he observed that it was significantly richer and taller. Although it wasn't constructed from brick, the building gleamed with a silvery hue and boasted numerous reflective surfaces.

Yuki had strolled out of the building, in the same clothes Clover had last seen him in and he was rubbing his eyes as the sun overwhelmed him. Clover filled up with remorse, but he was pleased to see Yuki waving at them with a smile on his face. In the backs of everyone's minds, they couldn't help but feel unfortunate at the news Clover had to go back home, but they were adamant about making Clover's final day a satisfying one, perhaps even unforgettable. Yuki, despite being exhausted, was putting on his relaxed smile and thinking of all the good things to come out of today.

Picking up Elio from the house, packing the food into the boot of the car, and then finally driving somewhere special took a total of 2 hours. At 10 am, they set off to enjoy the day together. Clover had no idea where Finley was driving to but he hoped it was somewhere beautiful, somewhere far away where he could escape the very thought of tomorrow. He wanted fields long enough to stretch to the end of the homeland, he wanted waterfalls and rivers so he could touch the freezing water between his toes for the first time, and he wanted sun. A world full of it - for the first time, he wanted to feel warm in this world.

The car was silent majority of the ride, each of the men having images flash into their mind of how the day was going to go. Yuki wanted peace, to fall asleep under the sun just for an hour, to sleep as his lovers talked happily amongst each other. Elio wanted everyone to praise his food, to eat all day long and to find undiscovered country. Finley, well, he wanted to do everything. Paint, eat, sleep, cuddle, walk around, kiss.

After 2 hours of driving, Finley had pulled into a national park. The park itself spread for miles and miles, with lakes, rivers, and waterfalls surrounding the lush verdant hills, long walkways, forests and meadows. It was flawless and by the looks of things, Finley had picked the ideal secluded area of the national park. The car park was hidden away from the main road, and there was no other car in sight.

"Let's go then," He announced, effectively waking the two men in the back.

"I'll grab the food," Elio stated, picking up the cooler and the main bag full of food.

"Give me something," Yuki yawned and Finley handed him the bag full of art supplies.

The men left Clover empty-handed whilst they all carried something, and as they walked through dense forest to reach the flower meadow, Clover's eyes started to water. He walked behind them a little slower and wiped his eyes. He had tried not to cry yesterday, but he felt today was a good day to cry. On this special day, he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards his partners. They had generously set aside their commitments and dedicated their time to honouring him. Clover had never experienced such genuine and profound affection from others, and he was deeply touched by the effort they put in to make the day special.