I opened up the newspaper in the morning while at work. A smile graced my lips when I saw the confused article of recent graffiti. My boys were up to trouble again.

“What are you smiling about?” Jaebum asked, my co-worker.

I folded the newspaper neatly. “I always look at the comics once in a while.”

The snoop picked up what I discarded. His eyes scanned what I had been reading and raised an eyebrow at me. “When have you been into graffiti?”

“I’m always appreciating art of all kinds,” I replied, going back to work.

“Wait a minute,” Jaebum squinted and moved the newspaper at another angle. “This goddess they drew kinda looks like you—hey!”

I snatched the paper, crumpled it up and threw it in the trash. Jaebum scowled at me. “It looks nothing like me. Start on that report or Mark is going to be breathing down both our necks.”

The rest of my work day was typical. Jaebum and I exited at 5 o’clock, the office closed. We went through the back where the garage portion of the business was.

“Let’s hang out,” Jaebum offered. “I want to go see that graffiti up close.”

“You know I don’t socialize with anyone outside of work, Jaebum,” I reminded him.

He sent me a wounded look. “Just this one time? I’ll treat you to some bubble tea!”

Jackson, one of the grease monkey’s, swung a companionable arm around Jaebum’s shoulder. “Are you cheating on me?”

Jaebum looked disgusted. Here he was with his clean white shirt and dress pants while Jackson had his one piece hanging at his waist and a wife beater underneath. “You’re going to make me dirty, go away.”

“You two make a cute couple,” I couldn’t help but instigate.

Jackson pursed his lips and Jaebum held him back with a hand to his face. I busted a gut laughing at their antics when I noticed someone hanging out by the large garage doors. It was Jimin.

“I’ll see you two later,” I called out. Jaebum attempted to stop me, still insisting on dinner but Jackson restrained him back.

“Does anyone remember the part where I said I wanted to live a normal life?” I demanded from Jimin.

Jimin ignored my question. His eyes were blazing with fury. “You left us for those guys?” He lifted his chin in the direction of Jaebum and Jackson. They were still wrestling, Jackson indeed dirtying Jaebum’s shirt.

I snapped my fingers in front of Jimin’s face, bringing his attention back to me. “Why are you here?”

“Suga sent me,” Jimin shuffled his foot into the asphalt, suddenly shy.

I let out a string of curse words. I put a finger in Jimin’s collar and dragged him away. “If I see you near my work again, I’m chopping off your nose and sewing it back on upside down.”

“Rose,” Jimin whined.

I let him go, knowing he was only doing as the older boy commanded. “I mean it.”

“He wants us to go to the arcade,” Jimin said sulkily.

I grumbled to myself. I could go now and get this over with or I could prolong it, forcing Suga to make a scene. I decided on the former. “I’m changing first.”

Jimin sent me a sly look. “Why? That skirt does wonders for your—” I punched him in the shoulder. 

“Don’t start with me Jimin,” I strode away. “Don’t follow me either. I’ll see you there.”

“Hey, Suga’s going to be angry if I don’t come back with you—HEY!”

I changed from my prim skirt and blouse into loose pants, a hoodie and let my hair down from its confiding bun to don a cap I must have stolen from one of the boys ages ago. I was fortunate that if I dressed a certain way, someone might mistake me for a high schooler. Then I jogged off towards one of our old haunts.

Jungkook and J-hope were playing a racing game. V was flirting with the arcade owner’s daughter. Rap Mon was trying to feed Jin some food airplane style and failing. Suga spotted me first, Jimin shooting upwards second.

“Why didn’t you come back with Jimin?” Suga asked softly.

“Because if someone sees an office woman coming to an arcade full of certain boys, others might start to whisper. I don’t need anyone worrying I’m back.”

“What’s so wrong with you coming back?” Rap Mon demanded.

I lost my temper. “Because I am done with that lifestyle. I was born into it but that doesn’t mean I belong.”

Jungkook turned around, mouth dropped. V’s head was down but Suga met my gaze, stubborn meeting stubborn. I softened my tone. “I miss you guys but this is what I want.”

“But Rose, we need—”

“Enough,” Suga cut J-hope off.

“You should tell her,” Jin intercepted.

“I don’t want to be involved,” I said, tiring of this pretty quickly. Unconsciously, my hand moved to my scar on my back.

V settled in beside me. “We understand.”

“I don’t think so,” I sent a challenging gaze towards Suga.

“Don’t blame Suga,” Jungkook cried, “We’re in deep, Rose, just a little advice—”

“You heard Suga,” Rap Mon said with authority, “Leave it be.” I played a couple of shooting games with J-hope when he claimed he had beat my old best score and then left for the evening. 

I found myself staring at the newspaper from this morning in my small place. Jaebum had good instincts. The graffiti that had the city a twitter was indeed made in my image. I had kept the boy’s mischief to a minimum and in return they had graffiti-ed a wall in salute to my time as their leader. Suga had always called me the goddess of roses, for the obvious reasons of being pretty but having hidden thorns. The image was of a girl, shrouded in black, a teasing wink and a rose held in both hands. It was an image of the past, a part of some dark time I had nothing to do with now. It had been a mistake to go with the boys that night. I would not be making it again.