A/N : I'm lazy to come up with a different plot. So I just made another part of Soft Spot. It's IllumiOC pairing btw.

Haru was lying flat on her stomach on her bed while reading this month's Hunter magazine, HXH. She flipped the mag's next page with one hand while another free hand was used to play with her end-hair.

"Still awake?"

Haru rolled her body before getting up to greet Illumi. The man was looking at her with emotionless face. But knowing him for years, she could tell he didn't approve the idea of her being up at this late hour.

"I can't sleep."

"Nightmares?"

"How's work?" Haru tried to change the topic.

"The usual." Translation : All who were in his way, were dead. "Sleep now."

Haru pouted at Illumi's order. "I'm not a kid, Illumi"

"Careful with what you said." His tone made Haru went silent. "Sleep." He placed a kiss on Haru's forehead and got out of the room after turning off the light in her room.

It was ten o'clock in the morning and Haru was alone at the dining table. She was playing with her food with occasional chew on her breakfast meal.

"Haru."

Haru looked up from her food to Silva. "Good morning, Father." She politely greeted, although it's not hidden her lack of enthusiasm.

"Morning. Did you get a good sleep?"

Haru shrugged. "Not really."

"If you're still having nightmares, I can have the maid to prepare you medications for better sleep." Just like Kikyo, Silva also cared deeply for the girl like his own daughter. If it were one of the Zoldycks who complained about having nightmares or trouble sleeping, Silva would just tell them off.

How lucky Haru was to be the apple of the Zoldyck family's eyes.

Haru smiled lightly, trying to reassure Silva on her health. "I'm fine. Maybe I just need fresh air before sleeping."

Silva looked at Haru. "If that's the case, have Illumi accompany you when you're going out. I still don't trust you on your own."

Haru just nodded. It's no use to argue when Silva used his strict father tone on her.

Mike, Zoldyck's loyal, enormous giant dog growled contentedly as Haru ruffled his fur with gentle touch. His ears went up when he heard leaves were rustling abnormally, signalling human movements. Haru was also on her guard, ready to fight if anything were to come up.

"Sit."

Mike's immediately obeyed the order coming from the voice he recognized so well. He returned to his sleep with Haru letting out a sigh of relief.

"Illumi."

"Didn't Mother forbid you from leaving the house alone?" Unlike the rest of her sons, with exception for Alluka, who could freely leave and return, Kikyo was very firm when it came to Haru. It was due to her lacking in combat ability that neither Kikyo or Silva trusted her on her own.

Haru returned to her seat next to Mike. She leaned against the beast while fixing her hair. "I got bored. And the wind feels so nice."

Illumi didn't question her any further. Haru was like soap. Regardless of whether to hold her too tight or too loose, she would end up slipping away anyways.

"How was your day?" Haru asked.

"Kil is still hanging with that boy."

"And what's wrong with that? Gon's a sweet boy. He's a good influence on Kil." Haru made her point. Illumi's brother complex was more serious than she thought.

Illumi looked at Haru straight in the eyes. "Kil has gone soft."

Haru shook her head in exasperation. "I feel your friendship with the jester is much more worrisome than Kil and Gon."

"Hisoka is not a friend."

"He's also not an enemy." Haru retorted. "Yet." Haru had never met Hisoka. But from Killua's story, she was full of confidence she would not like to be involved with him in any way as long as she lived. Or dead.

"Hisoka is an asset." Illumi couldn't ignore how he and Hisoka had helped each other several times for their own benefits and personal whims.

"If you say so..." Haru didn't want to continue the talk on Hisoka. She didn't want to agitate Illumi or Hisoka. One of them was manageable. Having both of them was total nightmares.

"You're still having nightmares." Illumi finally started another conversation after a moment of silence.

Haru felt her forehead. It was warm. "Lately, it's getting worse." Haru admitted. Some of the nights, she would wake up and not being able to get back to sleep. Other nights, she screamed for help and woke up with sweats all over her body.

Truthfully, Kikyo and Silva were worried about her. None of the medications or prescriptions or calming tea were working on her.

"What is it about?"

Haru looked at Illumi, before looking at the sleeping Mike. "About my parents. About how normal my life could be but it didn't. About memories that I don't even know are existed." Haru's voice getting lower and softer by each second she's recited her dreams. "I feel so tortured by each and one of them."

Illumi didn't respond. Mainly because he didn't know how. Killing has been a part of him and his life. He wouldn't feel the slightest bit of guilty when it came to his victims – be it women or children. To him, Haru's concern was too far-fetched for him to comprehend.

Haru finally looked back at Illumi when he didn't do or say anything. "Forget I said anything." Haru got up from the ground. Mike growled slightly when he noticed the shifted weight from his body. "Let's go back. Mother must be worried." Haru said when she noticed she had been out longer than she originally planned.

"I'm cursed."

Haru stopped her track. She turned to face Illumi with serious expression. "What?"

"Things that you said or feel, I can't understand any of it. Kil said about being a Zoldyck is like a curse. He wanted to fight the nature of Zoldyck." Nature of being an assassin. Nature of taking someone's live was normal as breathing.

Haru thought for a while. "He actually make sense." Illumi wasn't surprise as Haru took his brother's side. The two of them were close. Killua understood her more than Illumi was. Illumi acknowledged that.

"But, I never think of you like that." Haru's confession made Illumi slightly surprised. "I mean, Kikyo took me in, fed me and treated me like a real daughter. She treated me better than she treated her own sons." Haru remembered countless times Kikyo defended her from Illumi's harsh trainings or Milluki's bullying. "Kil could be right. It could be a curse. But it's a blessing to me. I have this life because of the same Zoldyck."

"You're as weird as Hisoka."

Haru pouted. "I'd prefer it if you didn't lump me in with a creep like him." Haru took Illumi's hand in hers. "If Mother's angry with me, I'll blame it all on you."

Illumi shrugged. With one swift movement, he threw Haru over his shoulder, ignoring her protest and punches on his back. "This is faster." Illumi jumped from one tree to another without wasting any time. Within three minutes, they're already in Illumi's room, entering through the window.

"This is not my room, Illumi." Haru suspiciously said.

"This is my room."

Haru facepalmed. "I know that, ididot. What am I doing here?!" Haru started to lose her patient.

"I'm manipulating you with my needle."

Haru felt like a heavy brick fell on top of her head. "That's your idea of stopping my nightmares?" Illumi nodded. Haru gritted her teeth. "I take back my words. You are cursed!"

"I know." Illumi smirked slightly.