I closed the door behind me and began to push up the sleeves of my blue hoodie. The kitchen needed to be cleaned, and so did the rest of the house. That needed doing before I could even think about catching any sleep. And if I didn't start now Mimi would come home and scold me for not taking care of myself better.

Though Mimi shouldn't talk. I remember there had been this one kid who was always seeming to get sick while I was growing up. Mimi would stay up with him night after night, not sleeping more than an hour here and there. The poor woman had run herself ragged trying to care for him, since there wasn't enough money to take him to the hospital.

I didn't want to dwell on that really. Things were different now. Mimi would never have to be like that again, and good thing too. She was getting old. And none of the other kids she'd raised were in the position to help her out like I was. Most had grown up to live average lives. I was the exception. Though Mimi had protested when I wanted to take the Hunter Exam when I was fifteen…

Grimace… That had been embarrassing. I had failed before I could even take part; I got lost on my way to the meeting point. And I was too ashamed to come back. So I waited and trained to take part in the next one.

That one I had made it…

…to the third phase before I was disqualified.

The following year I had finally succeeded! I had become a Hunter at the age of seventeen.

Then I had finally come back to Mimi and proudly showed her my Hunter's License.

I stretched my arms above my head, popping my shoulders and releasing some of the tension. I shook my head and refocused on the task in front of me.

Dishes, dishes – everywhere~! I sang and opened my eyes. A little groan before I dipped in. Maple syrup, blac! How I hated washing this stuff. I needed to distract myself, so I started humming.

The same tune I had been humming in my room at the Zoldyck estate, it was hauntingly beautiful. I had known it my entire life. Whenever I was sad, or if I needed to calm down… It was always there in the back of my mind. Had my mother taught it to me? I always wondered what my parents were like, I didn't remember anything except my journey to get here. I had been following handwritten instructions.

Who had written them? Why did I have to follow them?

I continued to hum, up to my elbows in soapy dish water.

CRAAAACK!

On instinct I ducked and rolled under the table, eyes open and searching. Glass breaking. The living room maybe? I crawled slowly towards the hallway, careful to keep my body low.

It was probably another rock. Those jackasses never get tired of hassling us. All because Mimi takes in kids from who-knows-where. She does a lot of good pal! I don't see you doing the populace any favors. Heck, if it weren't for Mimi being Mimi and me loving that woman half to death I'd come after you all with a burning stick and light a fire under your ass.

I stopped next to the entryway of the living room and sat with my back against the wall. I pulled my legs close to my chest and took a breath, humming another bar. I took two of the needles from my hair and slowly looked around the doorframe.

Yeah, the window was near shattered. Spider web glass, very hard to break. It will splinter like it's no tomorrow but if you wanna break it you better prepare to get bloody knuckles. Unless you know nen, then it's us who's screwed.

But asides from the window needing to be replaced, the rest of the room was normal. A trio of couches surrounded the battered coffee table, the big old fashioned tv finished off the box. The rug needed vacuuming, again. Maybe I should take it outside and beat it…

At least that would stop me from beating somebody else.

I sat back and sighed. This was why I wanted to buy Mimi a better house. We wouldn't have to deal with all these creeps and craps. Or, she could let me make an example of one or two of them…

No, Mimi wouldn't like that. She didn't like violence. That had been her main objection to me taking the Hunter Exam, she knew what it entailed. Everyone does really.

"Haruka?" Mimi's voice called out as the front door creaked open. I lumbered up to my feet, plastered on a smile and went to greet her. A plan forming in my brain. The perfect plan. Halloween this year would be a blast, or more like a howl. Snicker.

XXX

A/N: Yes it's short, mainly because the next chapter will be jumping ahead a few weeks. Though you will not be missing anything! I promise you that. Oh, and Illumi will be reappearing next chapter!

Curious as to what he was doing while everyone was out of the house? Drop some reviews and I promise to let you in on his dirty little secret. Hehehe…

Haruka: Play nice Ria.

A/N: I am Haru. It ain't my fault they can take that the wrong way. Besides, if Illumi doesn't like it he can tell me so himself. *crosses arms*

Illumi: *blinks slowly*

A/N: NOO! Not this again! *hides under covers*

Haruka: *holds out pen and paper* Work on the next chapter while you're under there.

A/N: *hands snake out and snatch objects*