Keiko and Yusuf have written letters to each other for exactly two years. It started as a class project between their two schools, one in Japan and one abroad. Neither of them expected it to turn into something so important. Over time, their letters grew longer. They covered favorite foods, worries about exams, and small jokes only the two of them understood.
惠子和优素福互相写信整整两年了。这是两所学校之间的一个班级项目，一所在日本，一所在国外。他们谁也没想到，它会变成这么重要的事。慢慢地，他们的信越写越长。信里写到喜欢的食物、对考试的担心，还有只有他们两个人才懂的小玩笑。
Today, Yusuf's exchange program finally brings him to Keiko's city for a full semester. Keiko waits at the arrivals gate, holding a small handwritten sign with his name on it. Her hands feel colder than the airport actually is. She has practiced what to say a dozen times on the train ride over. Now every word has disappeared from her head.
今天，优素福参加的交换项目终于把他带到了惠子所在的城市，要待整整一个学期。惠子在到达口等着，手里举着一块写着他名字的小手写牌子。她的手比机场里的空气还要冰凉。在来的火车上，她已经练习了十几遍要说的话。现在，每一个字都从她脑子里消失了。
When Yusuf walks through the doors, he looks exactly like his photos, though somehow taller than she imagined. For a second, neither of them says anything. Two years of letters suddenly feel strange next to an actual, real person. Around them, other families hug and call out names, but Keiko and Yusuf just stand there, smiling awkwardly.
优素福走出大门的时候，看起来和照片上一模一样，只是不知为什么比她想象的更高。有那么一会儿，两个人谁都没有说话。两年的书信，突然和一个真实的人站在一起，显得有些陌生。周围，别的家庭在拥抱，在大声叫着名字，而惠子和优素福只是站在那里，尴尬地笑着。
"I brought something," Yusuf says finally, pulling a small notebook from his bag. It's full of every letter Keiko has ever sent him, printed and kept together. Keiko laughs, surprised, and admits she has saved every one of his too. She keeps them in a box under her bed.
“我带了样东西，”优素福终于开口，从包里拿出一个小笔记本。里面是惠子寄给他的每一封信，都打印出来装订在了一起。惠子惊讶地笑了，也承认她同样留着他的每一封信。她把它们放在床底下的一个盒子里。
They walk out of the airport together, talking faster than either letter ever allowed. If the semester goes well, Yusuf might apply to study here again next year. For now, though, they just have three months. Neither of them plans to waste a single week of it. Keiko already has a list of places she wants to show him.
他们一起走出机场，说话的速度比任何一封信允许的都要快。如果这个学期顺利，优素福明年可能会再申请来这里学习。但眼下，他们只有三个月。两个人都不打算浪费其中任何一个星期。惠子已经列好了一份清单，上面都是她想带他去的地方。
