Standard Disclaimer: Ooookay, Nobuyuki, Tenchi, Achika, et. Al. Belong to 
Pioneer/AIC. Sometimes I think the world does. The only character in this that's 
mine is Hisashin, and I doubt anyone'll be seeing him again. Don't sue me, I'm a 
poor college kid, I don't have anything. Except my collection of Pioneer videos. 
^_^;;

Author's Note: Okay, gang, 3rd fanfic. This little plot bunny came up one night 
as I was realizing that I hadn't forgotten about a certain dream of mine, I just 
lost sight of it. I wondered what would happen if Nobuyuki had lost sight of his 
dream house. This was the result. As always, questions, comments can be sent to 
Kenshi@myexcel.com. I would love to hear about it. 


Our Dream

*~Summer, 1977~*

Nobuyuki ran a hand back through his hair and heaved a sigh, tossing his pencil 
onto his easel with a bit of frustration. Everything nowadays seemed so 
complicated, and sometimes disappointing. His life seemed to stand still for a 
moment as his memories flashed back to the fateful day on the ledge overlooking 
Okayama. 
It had been a lovely day, like today. He'd showed Achika his dream house. Not 2 
weeks later, in the hospital from a few mysterious injuries, he told Achika he 
loved her. Her face had lit with a blush. Nobuyuki smiled at the thought. But 
today...today was something different. Today he worked for an architecture firm in 
Tokyo. Today he designed rooms, parts of houses. Not buildings. Not the dream 
house that he and Achika had wanted. He let out a sigh as he pulled out his 
lunch box and an old, battered sketchbook. Thumbing through well worn pages he 
came upon the house that he had drawn 7 years ago.
"You should put a window in here. It would let in some sun and really lighten 
things up." The young architect smiled as he remembered his wife's words.
"Our dream house." Nobuyuki smiled out the window. 
Things had been hard lately. Ever since he started working for the firm, and 
married Achika, the dream had gotten lost along the way. Mundane concerns had 
taken over their life, and, though always gentle and sweet, he could tell Achika 
was getting a little upset with his long hours and his employer's lack of faith 
in him. They had yet to let him design a building. Rooms, sure, but not a whole 
building. Truth to tell, it irked Nobuyuki a bit too. And with the talk of 
perhaps having a baby...it was another roadblock to the overall dream of a happy 
life with Achika. Right now, his life with his young wife was peaceful. Which 
was fine. 
But the ultimate dream hovered maddeningly out of reach. Nobuyuki turned his 
attention to the sketchbook again, eyes tracing the well-known details of the 
design perfectly. 

"I love...I love architecture...and I'd really like to build a house like this 
someday."

That's what he'd said to her.  And he did. He could imagine the light, and the 
space, and her gentle voice, singing a lullaby to a new baby.

"Hey, Nobuyuki! You're lunch is going to get cold if you just stare at it all 
day. What are you looking at?"

Nobuyuki looked up to see the smiling face of Hisashin, one of his best friends 
at work. 

"Oh, Hisashin. How are you? I was just looking at a sketch I made of a house in 
high school. I always wanted to build a house like this for Achika and I." 

Hisashin whistled softly. "Wow, Nobuyuki, you drew this up in high school? 
That's really good. So what's stopping you from building this house?"

"Mainly time right now," Nobuyuki sighed. "There never seems to be any time to 
just live a life with Achika. I'm always here working, or at home asleep. Even 
on weekends."

Hisashin nodded quietly. "Nobuyuki, you have to make time. Did you know that Maki 
and I are getting divorced? Because of precisely this problem. You have to work 
for your dream, Nobuyuki, not for the present concerns."

He looked down at his sketchbook quietly for a long moment. "I'm sorry, 
Hisashin, about you and Maki. You're right. I need to start living for the 
future. Or our dream house will never get built."

"Take the rest of the day off, Nobuyuki. I'll cover for you." Hisashin smiled at 
his friend.

Nobuyuki shook his friends hand, gathered his things. His heart felt inexplicably lighter, 
as he climbed into his car and smiled at the light filtering down through the cedar trees
that lined the company drive. A smile on his face, he drove home to his young wife.
 
*~ Interlude ~*

Time passed, as time is want to do. The seasons went by, and Nobuyuki heeded his 
friend's advice.  Two years slipped away, and his son was born. He was given his 
leave to design a building for his company, finally, and the results were a 
substantial income raise, and the means and magic to build the dream house 
for his family. Everything slowly came together, and the darkness that had hovered
on the young architect's mind vanished in light of his happiness.

*~Summer, 1980~*

Tenchi cooed with delight as he played with his mother's bangs. Nobuyuki stood 
at the grill, chitchatting with the friends and relatives he had invited to his 
barbecue. Behind them, the Masaki house rose in it's dream-like majesty, warm 
and welcoming as the smile wife bestowed on husband. Laughter echoed off  the 
walls of the house, making the little scene all the more pleasant. Hisashin 
approached Nobuyuki, smiling. 

"Well, Nobuyuki, you're doing well for yourself. Young son..Beautiful wife..the 
house you always wanted for your family. How are your dreams doing now, 
Nobuyuki?"

"Our dreams?" Nobuyuki smiled and looked at his wife. "Our dreams are very much 
alive, even today. Right, Achika?"

The smile that answered him, and the gentle blush that warmed the cheeks of his 
wife was all the answer anyone could need.