Zack's call woke me up and I felt sleepier than I should have, since it was already 9. Knowing I had advanced in Rank, I didn't have my new schedule yet, so I'd forgotten to set an alarm accordingly.
"Morning, Spike! I've got good news and bad news!" Zack's voice was as chipper as ever. I grumbled something incoherent, rubbing my eyes.
"The good news is... your new apartment is ready! The bad news..."
"Oh, the moving," I groaned, suddenly wide awake. I jumped out of bed, Zack's voice still in my ear as I shuffled toward the bathroom.
"The bad news," Zack continued, "is that your roommate's on the Costa del Sol mission, so you won't get to meet him just yet!"
Mental phew. Introducing myself while standing awkwardly in a doorway with my suitcases wasn't exactly my idea of fun. Honestly, a quiet move-in sounded like a blessing. Still, knowing my roommate—another 2nd Class—was part of Sephiroth's mission made me look forward to advancing even more.
"Aww..." I forced some fake disappointment into my voice so Zack wouldn't think I was antisocial or anything. It wasn't that—I just wasn't used to being surrounded by so many people my age. Back in Nibelheim, there'd been... well, one. Aside from that, just young children or older adults.
"So, when can I move in?" I asked, trying to sound casual. "I've got my stuff packed, and I was planning to train later. Don't want to fall behind just because my instructor's not around."
"That's the spirit!" Zack's encouragement practically radiated through the phone, as though he were clapping me on the back. "You can head over now! No one's going to stop you."
A sheepish grin tugged at my lips as I remembered something. "I should probably let Kunsel know I'm leaving first. You know, my current—or I guess former—roommate. I think he hasn't passed yet, so he's probably still here."
"Good idea!" Zack cheered. "Have fun training! I'm off to do the same with my buds!"
"Buds" likely meant Genesis and Angeal. My chest tightened at the thought—I'd give anything to train with Sephiroth right now. Soon, I reminded myself. Soon.
After hanging up, I headed to Kunsel's room. I knocked twice, but for a moment, I thought he might have already left for the day. Then the door cracked open, revealing a sleepy face.
"Hey," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"
"It's past 9. Don't you usually wake up earlier than this?"
"What?! Past 9?" He blinked, realization dawning. "Oh no! I've got Field Training at 10! Gotta hurry!" He dashed back into his room.
"Uh, no problem," I called after him, feeling a little awkward. "But actually, I came to tell you—I'm moving out today."
Kunsel froze mid-step. Slowly, he turned back to face me. "Oh."
A second passed before his expression softened into a smile. "Congrats! I'm happy for you. Told you I'd likely need more Field Trainings to pass. Well, I've got six more weeks now, I really need to make up for missing out on the practical stuff."
Relief washed over me. I'd half expected him to feel upset after all the time he'd spent studying, but he looked genuinely pleased for me.
"Thanks," I said, smiling back. "I'm sure you'll pass with no problems next time." We shared a brief, cordial hug—something we hadn't done before, but now it felt appropriate.
"I'll see you later, then?" he offered, already bending down to put on his boots.
Knowing I'd still see him around the premises—even if not in the same flat every day—gave me peace, as he was one of the few people here at ShinRa who'd always been a good, reliable friend.
"Yeah. Gotta move my stuff. See you!"
With that, I went back to grab my belongings and headed toward the 2nd Class apartments.
The 2nd Class accommodations were noticeably different from the 3rd Rank dorms. The buildings were smaller—only two stories instead of three or more—and everything seemed cleaner and quieter. That likely meant fewer late-night parties, not that partying was ever officially allowed. Residents here were probably more focused on studying or catching up on rest before their next training session.
Flat number 13 was on the ground floor. As I entered, I walked past the separate staircase and into a spacious common room. Four doors lined the left and right walls, likely leading to two bedrooms and their respective bathrooms. On the left of the large room, a small kitchen area featured a fridge, stove, cupboards, and the usual essentials, along with a table and four chairs. Beyond that, there was a cozy seating area with a sofa, two armchairs, and a small coffee table. As I turned to my left, beside the door – a medium-sized TV was attached to the wall, with some shelves and drawers below for storage. On the far left of the common room were bookshelves and a small niche to put cleaning utensils and a trash can.
Warm lighting and two large windows overlooking the courtyard gave the space a surprisingly welcoming feel. The view itself—parked cars, SOLDIER equipment, and other apartments—wasn't great, but for Midgar, it was about what I expected. Zack's 1st Class accommodations still had mine beat by a mile. His place had a garden, a balcony, and even a terrace.
A video gaming console attached to the TV and DVD-player made me grin, although I knew I probably wouldn't use it a lot.
'Oh. My room... what number again? 2-310.' It turned out to be on the left hand side. Inside, I found a decent-sized desk with a laptop on top, a swivel chair, and a beanbag tucked in the corner. A large bed took up the center of the room, with dressers against the opposite wall. Near the door, a wall-mounted TV completed the setup. It was a lot nicer than I'd expected.
After setting down my luggage, I took my time unpacking and settling in.
Once everything was in place, I decided to head out for some training. Behind the cafeteria, there was a small sports field that hardly anyone used, especially in the fall. It was perfect. Grabbing my Buster Sword, I made my way there.
What I'd planned as a quick refresher turned into a much longer session. By the time I noticed how dark it was getting, I was drenched in sweat and the chill in the air was setting in. Not wanting to get mistaken for a SOLDIER sneaking off to a pub on a weekday, I quickly made my way back to the flat.
When I was about to turn the key in my lock, I noticed something unusual. 'Have I left the lights on? Strange, I don't remember that... Wait, it's on the right... It's not my part of the apartment!'
Cautiously, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Could my new flatmate have arrived early? It didn't make sense—Zack had said it would be days, maybe weeks, before they returned.
I moved quietly, heading toward the right side of the apartment. Opening one of the doors, I was greeted by the sound of blaring music.
"Are you also frightened? Are you also friiiightened? Are you—"
I quickly turned the volume down, straining to hear any other sounds.
That's when I heard it—a low, masculine groan coming from my side of the flat.
It couldn't be Zack—he'd mentioned he was too flooded with paperwork every evening.
My heart started pounding.
'What the hell is this person doing? Is he in my room?'
Grabbing a heavy vase from a nearby cupboard, I prepared for the worst. Maybe it was a thief. Then again, what kind of idiot thief leaves music blasting?
Creeping toward my room, I noticed the lights were off. A faint splashy noise drew my attention to the bathroom.
'What…?'
My mind spiraled with paranoia. Was it a murderer? Washing off blood? Or drowning someone?
Clutching the vase tighter, I listened for any signs of a victim. Nothing.
With a burst of adrenaline-fueled bravery, I ripped open the bathroom door and charged in, screaming, vase raised high—
And froze.
Standing in my bathtub, completely naked, was a man.

I like that song
but what is Angeal doing in Cloud's bathtub?
and is Kunsel not unable to enter the 2nd Class dorms, since he didn't pass?
Did Genesis take the wrong apartment door again?
Stay tuned and find out in the next episode, number 18, of To Have And Not To Hold!
Side note: Room 2-310 was my English classroom in High school! Thanks to that teacher, I developed my passion for the language :3 (The first teacher I had in college was awful, so if he had been my first experience with it, we probably wouldn't be here in this fanfic rn... As I'd probably have potato-English skills only :D)