The photograph behind the sign

The idea

The inscription いつかまたここで points to a hoped-for return, not a completed meeting. ことになりました marks the eventual arrangement; the reply makes it possible.

Read the text

Examples

• ミカさんは店みせの古ふるい看板かんばんを外はずしていました。Mika was removing the shop’s old sign.
• 看板かんばんの裏うらから、一枚いちまいの写真しゃしんが見みつかりました。A photograph was found behind the sign.
• 写真しゃしんには、若わかい二人ふたりが店みせの前まえで笑わらっていました。In the photograph, two young people were smiling in front of the shop.
• 裏うらには「いつかまたここで」と書かいてありましたが、名前なまえはありませんでした。On the back was written “Someday, here again,” but there were no names.
• ミカさんが祖父そふに尋たずねると、祖父そふは懐なつかしそうに写真しゃしんを見みつめました。When Mika asked her grandfather, he gazed at the photograph nostalgically.
• それは、遠とおくへ引ひっ越こした友人ゆうじんと祖父そふの写真しゃしんでした。It was a photograph of her grandfather and a friend who had moved far away.
• 祖父そふは友人ゆうじんに写真しゃしんを送おくり、店みせでまた会あおうと誘さそいました。Her grandfather sent the photograph to his friend and suggested meeting again at the shop.
• やがて返事へんじが届とどき、二人ふたりは来月らいげつ、店みせで会あうことになりました。A reply eventually arrived, and the two arranged to meet at the shop next month.

Watch out

The two young people are in the old photograph, not necessarily standing outside the shop now.

Try it yourself

1. 写真しゃしんはどこで見みつかりましたか。（看板かんばんの裏うら／本ほんの中なか）

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   看板の裏 / かんばんのうら

   看板の裏: the photograph was found behind the sign as Mika removed it.

2. 祖父そふと写うつっていたのは誰だれですか。（友人ゆうじん／店員てんいん）

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   友人 / ゆうじん

   友人: her grandfather identifies the other person as a friend who moved away.

3. 二人ふたりはいつ会あうことになりましたか。（来月らいげつ／来年らいねん）

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   来月 / らいげつ

   来月: after the reply arrives, they arrange to meet next month.

Use it today

Retell how the discovery leads to an appointment, using the inscription as a clue.