The Grapevine

Chapter Thirteen

Sean's statistics lecture let out right on time, but as he filed out with the rest of the students, he wasn't in any particular hurry. Numbers and formulas still lingered in his mind, and he half-heartedly jotted something in the notebook he carried, intending to check it later. But the moment he looked up, he noticed a familiar figure leaning against the wall just outside the classroom.

Eric was there, waiting for him, earbuds tucked in as he tapped his foot to some rhythm Sean couldn't hear. When Eric spotted him, his face broke into a smile so wide and sincere that Sean felt his own lips curve up without even thinking.

"Hey!" Eric greeted, pulling out his earbuds and falling into step beside Sean as they made their way down the hallway.

"How was the lecture?" Eric asked, his voice light with genuine curiosity.

Sean shrugged, tucking his notebook under one arm. "Packed with numbers and not enough coffee," he replied with a slight smirk.

Eric chuckled, giving him a gentle nudge with his shoulder. "Oh, come on! You probably already understood everything. 'Campus Prince' and all, right?"

Rolling his eyes at the nickname, Sean couldn't help but return Eric's grin. "It's not about getting it all the time; sometimes you just have to survive it."

"Well, in that case, let's get you a victory coffee. My treat for 'surviving,'" Eric offered, winking as they continued to walk.

This had become a habit, an unexpected yet welcome routine around campus. Eric seemed to appear after Sean's classes or by his side at lunch, casually folding himself into Sean's life. It was seamless in a way Sean hadn't experienced before. The people who had once just smiled at him in the hallways now stopped and stared as he walked side-by-side with Eric. He knew the rumors were still fresh in everyone's mind, whispers that didn't bother him as much as he'd expected.

Today, though, they were meeting up with a group for lunch in the cafeteria. By the time Sean and Eric arrived, the rest of their friends—Hyun Jin, Daniel, and Eric's bandmates—had already managed to secure a full table and started piling up their trays. Mingyu, Felix, Mark, and Jangjun, the other members of Eric's band, filled the seats with easy banter and loud laughter. Hyun Jin was in her element, teasing Felix about his endless string of side-flings.

"Seriously, do you guys even keep track of your 'dates' at this point?" she teased with a dramatic sigh.

Felix chuckled, shaking his head, while Jangjun looked around in mock horror. "Hey, I'm a gentleman! I remember each name...most of the time."

Eric, meanwhile, had wasted no time filling his tray. Sean watched with mild amusement as Eric devoured a helping of spicy rice cakes, leaving only the sticks and skewers behind as evidence.

"Do you always eat like this?" Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow as Eric reached for another helping of odeng.

Eric just shrugged, his grin unbothered. "Food's meant to be enjoyed, right?" He turned to Sean and pointed one of the skewers at him, eyes glinting playfully. "Anyway, you still owe me a taste of that mint chocolate stash at your apartment."

Sean blinked in surprise, his cheeks heating up slightly. "How did you even know about that?"

Eric smirked, glancing over at Hyun Jin, who had leaned into the conversation with an innocent smile. "Some things are worth investigating."

Eric's grin was mischievous, and Sean couldn't help but roll his eyes with a small chuckle. It wasn't exactly a secret that mint chocolate was his go-to for late-night study sessions, but he'd never thought anyone would take notice—let alone Eric.

Little by little, Sean realized he was noticing the small things about Eric, too. Like how, whenever Eric talked about something exciting, he'd tap his fingers on the table as though playing a beat in his head. Or how, when they went to the university market one afternoon with the group, Eric's eyes lit up every time he saw a new type of ramyeon on the shelves. As Sean picked up a few drinks, he watched as Eric stacked his basket with every spicy flavor he could find.

"Eric, are you seriously going to eat all of that?" Sean asked, watching in awe.

"Of course," Eric replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Especially Mep Teng and Buldak. You're looking at a master of ramyeon here." He waggled his eyebrows in challenge, making Sean laugh.

The small moments added up, each one piecing together parts of Eric's personality that Sean found himself drawn to. Eric wasn't just the loud, confident person he seemed at first glance. He was thoughtful in ways that Sean hadn't expected. One afternoon, when they were out for coffee, Sean noticed that Eric instinctively wiped down the table and made sure their seats were clean before sitting down. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes.

Meanwhile, Eric was paying attention to Sean just as closely. Over the weeks, he'd learned that Sean had little tells in his expressions: the way his lips tightened when he was hungry, or how his brow furrowed in intense concentration whenever he was deep in thought. Sean's moods were like subtitles written across his face, easy to read for anyone who looked closely enough. And Eric found himself watching those shifts, learning Sean's small habits and quirks.

One day, they decided to explore the university booths together. It was something neither of them had done before, as both typically kept to their own worlds. As they strolled between the booths, Sean spotted a booth selling mint chocolate desserts, and without a second thought, he nudged Eric, pointing it out.

"You like mint chocolate, right?" Sean asked, a bit hesitant.

Eric's eyes softened as he looked at Sean. "You remembered."

The two of them shared a quiet smile before Sean insisted on buying a few of the desserts to share. They didn't talk about it, but the understanding between them deepened with each small gesture and shared look.

By the time they'd made their way through the booths, Sean was already feeling the ease of it all, the thrill of being close to someone who seemed to understand him without the need for words. As they walked, he felt something settle within him—a confidence he hadn't had before. He knew Eric was smart enough to pick up on the unspoken boundaries and responsibilities that came with being close to him, someone from the Kim family. But as the weeks went on, Sean found himself willing to open those doors, to see where this path with Eric would lead.

As they walked back from the booths, Eric finally slowed his pace, nudging Sean's shoulder lightly. "Hey, this whole...whatever this is, it's been a lot more fun than I expected."

"Yeah," Sean replied softly, meeting his gaze with a small smile. "I think I'd like to keep it going."

Eric grinned, his eyes glinting with that familiar warmth. "Then, I guess you'll be seeing a lot more of me around, Sean."

They shared a quiet laugh, and as they exchanged goodnight, there was an unspoken understanding that they'd both let their walls down a little more for each other. The lines had blurred, becoming something real, and neither of them felt the need to resist.