Finding Zen (With BTS' JIMIN)

25. Gretel Needs Hansel As Much As He Needs Her

HIM

It had been a while, but he hadn't stopped trying to find some way to see if it worked. They had gotten back together at the dorms and were practicing hard to have a strong comeback for the year.

It was a lot less work behind the scenes when it is just one album, but it also raises the hopes of the fans making them want to go beyond the perfection they normally deliver.

After being caught coming out of rehearsals and their paparazzi pictures spread everywhere he struck up a conversation with Hoseok.

"Trust me... it's hell... that's why I don't even want to show who she is... because that could put a target on her back too..."

He nods, settling in his seat and buckling up.

"That's the worst part... I don't really like it myself... but putting someone in a spot like that..."

"The right people will understand though... I heard you admitted to the company that you had someone in mind when you wrote the mixtape...?"

"Yeah... I mean... I was surprised that they weren't surprised..."

"Must be because most of us are already on that path..."

"Yeah... and... the "right" one could be anyone... even though this feels right to me.. there could be a right-er...? I don't know... but what's the point in... taking someone in for my sake..."

"If it really is the right one... they'll need you too... and beyond physically or materialistically... they will feel it "right" as well... just like you do... and that won't just be because of your status now..."

He nodded, processing it... his mother and even Taehyung had said similar things but he felt unconvinced still, worried that he was putting his needs or just mere wishes first.

There is absolutely no chance that I will surely see her again...

She made that clear that day... I feel bad for hoping...

But I felt calm then, despite wanting to explode just before that...

Gosh...

Practice for their performances took up most of their time and headspace. That immediately dissipated as they got a week off before their February end comeback.

He was looking for gifts for kids with his mother when he picked up a book on the Korean version of 'Hansel and Gretel' an old tale that wasn't really popular there especially not during his childhood, but one of his brother's favourites and he made it a point to flip through it once before deciding on picking it or not. It also got him thinking.

Breadcrumbs... for the realistic factor it does get eaten by birds...

But... what if they all did...

Or if she never had the bread in the first place...

Wait... that's basically my plight now... I'm looking for someone who I barely know and someone who doesn't have an established trail...

He shook it out of his head as they rushed to leave before it attracted attention. He admitted on the way back that it was something he didn't like at all, the loss of his own space.