A/N: I wrote this at like 1am last night off a random burst of inspiration and then I realized it was going to be September 30th the next day and thought the timing worked out really well.

ARC = Advance Reading Copy, a free copy of a book given by the publisher before the book is printed for mass distribution, often to generate hype and receive honest feedback.

Whatever Jessica is expecting Tiffany to say when the call connects, it’s not, “So, which character is me?”

Jessica blinks, bemused. “What?”

“You know, in Rachel’s group,” Tiffany says expectantly.

“…Who said any of them is you?”

“Because, you know, I was thinking about it,” Tiffany continues, undeterred. “Lizzie has an English name so that seems like it could be it – but it’s a bit too obvious, you know?”

Jessica snorts. “What are you, Sherlock Holmes?”

“It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to get some of the clues you put. Princess and she dislikes cucumbers? Really, Jessi? You might as well just name her Jessica while you’re at it. Or, wait, I know, Jennifer!” Tiffany claps her hands together and beams like it’s a brilliant idea. “Then people would know it’s you.”

“Rachel isn’t me,” Jessica protests. “She just…has certain traits of mine.”

“Is Jason someone?” Tiffany asks with narrowed eyes.

“No, he’s just—” Jessica starts saying, and then her own eyes narrow. “You’re kidding me. You’re jealous of a fictional character just because he’s the love interest of another fictional character you think represents me?”

“I’m not jealous,” Tiffany huffs. “I don’t want you to tell me that I have the voice of an angel, the smile of the devil and—”

“I didn’t write that part, okay!” Jessica says immediately. “Plus, I’d switch those descriptors for you.”

“What? Smile of an angel and voice of the devil?”

“Yeah, I mean, your smile is—” Jessica waves her hand like that says it all. “And your voice is…tempting, you know?” Just as Tiffany is starting to smile, she adds, “Plus, when you yell my ears feel like they’re in hell so.”

“Jessica!”

“See? Proving my point,” Jessica says, but she can’t help her smile.

“Jessiiiiiiiiiiii,” Tiffany starts.

“No,” Jessica says flatly.

“I didn’t even say anything!”

“You were going to ask to read an advance copy. Like you always do.”

“Well, you won’t give me one.”

“Exactly, and that’s not going to change if you keep asking. In fact, even if I considered it – which I didn’t – you’re just convincing me not to.”

Tiffany ups her pout, but Jessica is immovable in the face of the display. “Fine,” she huffs. “I’ll just start my own reading blog so I can get an ARC.”

Jessica bursts out laughing. “Really? You’re going to go to so much effort?” And then, “You know what an ARC is?”

“Of course!” Tiffany says in an injured voice. “I’m like, totally up-to-date with all the reader lingo. Why are you so surprised?”

“I’m just surprised you read,” Jessica says, completely straight-faced. Years of being exposed to Lee Sunkyu on a regular interval have perfected her immunity to aegyo, but Tiffany’s puppy dog eyes make a valiant go at her defences. “You know the book cover isn’t pink, right?”

“I do,” Tiffany says in a tone of immense disappointment. “You’re remedying that with Bright’s cover, right?”

“Oh, you know about Bright.”

“I know about Like, A and Diamond too,” Tiffany says, and Jessica laughs again.

“Well, aren’t you knowledgeable?”

“Of course I know about Bright,” Tiffany says, eyes intent on Jessica’s. She sounds like she’s saying I know everything about you, and Jessica almost shivers. Then, in that doing a 180 way of hers, Tiffany’s voice goes bright and chipper again. “Okay, if you won’t give me an ARC of Shine, you will with Bright, right? Or at least tell me who they’re casting for the movie.”

“Are you making bets on this or something?”

Tiffany shrugs. “Well, I have to put something on my blog.”

“I thought it was a reading blog.”

“It is. It’s about reading Shine.”

“That doesn’t sound like much of a blog.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be as interesting of a blog as reading you, but.” Tiffany shrugs again, but there’s something different about the motion this time.

Jessica blinks. “Reading…me? How does that work? I’m not a book.”

“No,” Tiffany tells her. “You’re much more interesting.”

And Jessica, for all the writing she’s been doing, finds herself speechless.

“Maybe I’ll write my own book,” Tiffany says thoughtfully.

“Oh really? What’s it going to be about?”

“I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry, it’s not going to be about K-pop. I don’t want to saturate the market.”

Jessica makes a sound somewhere between a cough and a laugh. “Ah yes, the raging market of K-pop novels. Just can’t get by without seeing one.”

“I have a couple of ideas. I’ll have to narrow them down.”

“Do you want someone to bounce them off of?”

“Yes, I’d love the advice of a published author,” Tiffany says earnestly, and it’s so—Tiffany, to sound so sincere that you can’t even tell she’s mocking you, that you feel bad for thinking it even though you know she is.

“Well, here’s my piece of advice.” Jessica purposefully waits for a beat for dramatic effect before saying, “Don’t make the cover pink.”

“Wow, thank you for the amazing wisdom.”

“Anytime, young grasshopper,” Jessica intones sagely, and Tiffany rolls her eyes so exaggeratedly Jessica can almost hear it.

“Jessi,” she says sweetly, and Jessica feels a frisson of fear over the back of her neck.

“Hmm?” she says, making sure to keep her voice impassive.

“Will you buy my book?” Tiffany asks with wide eyes and the hint of a jutted out bottom lip.

“Of course,” Jessica replies. “How am I going to dissect it on my blog otherwise?”

Tiffany raises an eyebrow. “You have a blog too, huh?”

“Well, I will. I heard that you can get ARCs if you have a reading blog.”

And she’s treated to that smile, which, even if she were a Pulitzer-winning author, she doesn’t think she would be able to describe.

“Actually,” Tiffany says. “I want to write a love story.”

“A love story?”

Tiffany nods. “One between two women.”

She’s giving Jessica that intent look again, one that always says so much more than does (which is an impressive feat, really), and Jessica’s mouth goes dry. Somehow, she manages to get out lightheartedly, “Don’t tell me one of them is named Jennifer.”

“Of course not.” Tiffany gives her an offended look. “Why would she be named Jennifer? That’s such a generic name, it’d be like naming her—Rachel or something.”

“…I don’t like you.”

Tiffany just smiles at her, sweet, inexorable, and Jessica succumbs, as always.

“But, authornim,” Tiffany says in that earnest voice. “Who else is going to give me writing advice?”

Jessica goes speechless in a different way. “You did not just call me— How do you even know—”

“Oh, I have to go, Jessi. Can you put in a good word with Simon Pulse for me? I’ll have my agent get in touch with yours!”

Jessica is still staring when the call disconnects. One thing’s for sure, she thinks, the corners of turning up: Tiffany has a lot of words in her just waiting to burst out. She wouldn’t be surprised if Tiffany really did write a book. And – not that she would ever tell Tiffany – she would do whatever it takes to get an ARC.