The Name I Called Out

---The concert ended in a thunder of applause and shining lights. Fans were still chanting, clapping, hoping for one more encore. But FJ4 had already taken their final bow.

Ameya — still dazed from what had happened — followed her friends out of the concert hall, her cheeks still flushed from embarrassment.

"I can't believe you did that!" Ruby teased, bumping her shoulder.

Sofie grinned. "Girl, you just made it to the big screen! The whole auditorium saw you confess to Rico!"

Linda added, "And… did you see Rico's face? He looked right at you, Jenna."

Ameya laughed nervously, brushing her hair behind her ear. "It was... nothing. Just caught up in the moment, I guess."

But deep down, her heart was racing for a different reason.

That moment when Rico looked up — it wasn't just a casual glance. His eyes locked on hers, and something flickered there. Recognition. As if… he knew her.

-----

The next morning, the atmosphere in the training studio buzzed with energy. Some girls, including Jenna and her close-knit group of friends, were practicing their vocal parts, while others focused on perfecting dance moves in front of the mirrors. Laughter echoed from the corner where Sofie, Ruby, and Linda were stretching.

Jenna—who was actually Ameya—was slowly starting to embrace this strange new life. She was still trying to understand how she'd ended up in Jenna's body, but yesterday's FJ4 concert kept replaying in her mind… especially the part where she—in a burst of emotion—shouted "I love you, Rico!" in front of thousands.

"Hey!" Sofie broke into a teasing tone, pointing a thumb at Jenna. "I also shouted Suha's name so loud my throat still hurts, but the camera guy didn't even look my way!"

The group laughed.

"You're just lucky, Jenna," she continued, grinning. "You caught Rico's attention!"

Ameya's cheeks turned pink as she scratched the back of her neck. "Ha… yeah, embarrassing myself in front of the whole fandom… super lucky," she mumbled.

Linda raised an eyebrow. "Lucky? Nah. If she caught Michael's attention, then I'd say lucky."

Ruby added with mock seriousness, "Exactly! Jenna, out of all the names, why'd you shout Rico's instead of Michael's? You've always said Michael was your favorite."

The question hit too close to home.

Ameya—who had no clue about Jenna's original preferences—froze. "Uh… well… I was just… caught in the moment, you know?" She quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, did anyone notice the harmony during Suha's solo? Perfect, right?"

Sofie wasn't letting go. "If the live cam had panned to me instead of you, maybe Suha would've noticed me." She gave a dramatic sigh, earning more laughter.

Just then, one of the other girls burst in. "Guys! Did you hear? FJ4 is coming here today to practice!"

Sofie jumped up. "When?!"

Ruby smirked, "Calm down, Sofie. Don't start fan-girling too early."

Before they could squeal more, their manager stepped in. "Girls, time to wrap it up. FJ4's arriving in five minutes. Clean up and head back to your dorms—practice is over for now."

The room buzzed with excitement. And just as the girls were filing out, the doors swung open—and in walked FJ4.

Gasps, whispers, and stunned silence fell across the room.

The manager gave a small bow and greeted the boys. "Welcome."

One by one, FJ4 exchanged polite nods with the girls. Ameya tried to disappear behind Sofie, but Rico's gaze immediately locked onto her. Before she could retreat, he stepped forward.

"Hey," he said directly to her.

Nicky chuckled, nudging Rico. "Isn't this the girl from the concert who yelled 'I love you, Rico'?" His voice carried a teasing edge.

Rico raised an eyebrow at Nicky, who immediately zipped his lips.

Ameya bit her bottom lip, her face burning, but she forced a small smile. "Haha… yeah… that was me…"

The group started to exit, but Linda and Ameya lingered a little longer. FJ4 began their warm-up stretches, and while Suha, Michael, and Nicky were already focused, Rico's eyes still followed Ameya.

As they reached the door, Linda suddenly said, "Oh no—I left my AirPods in the corner! Jenna, can you grab them for me? I'll wait at the entrance."

"Sure," Ameya said, glad for a small task to focus on.

She jogged across the studio and bent to retrieve the AirPods. That's when she felt it—someone standing behind her. Her heart raced.

She turned quickly—and froze.

It was Rico.

She couldn't move. Her breath hitched. Why is he here? Why now?

Rico smiled calmly. "I'm still curious… why did you call my name?" His voice was low and teasing. "And say 'I love…'"

Panic flared. "Ha! That wasn't me! That was my friend—Sofie!"

Rico tilted his head and leaned slightly closer. "I'm not blind, you know. Your face was on the big screen. Kind of hard to miss."

Ameya chuckled nervously. "O-okay… yes, it was me."

"But why me?" Rico asked, his tone shifting. "I'm not even your favorite idol."

Ameya's eyes widened. "What? You are my favorite! Since… uh… since tenth grade!"

As soon as the words escaped her, she bit her tongue.

Rico raised an amused eyebrow. "What?"

"I-I mean," she backtracked, "I like all of you! I'm not biased! That's what I meant!"

He smirked. "Funny. At our first fan sign event, you told me—boldly—that Michael was your favorite. Right in front of me."

Ameya blinked. That wasn't me… that was Jenna! But… he remembers that?

She stepped closer, curiosity overtaking fear. "Wait… how do you remember that? It happened a long time ago."

Rico leaned in, lowering his voice to a whisper near her ear. "Because I remember the ones who don't choose me. How could I forget?"

He straightened up, now only inches away from her face, his gaze locking with hers.

"Am I right?" he whispered, voice soft but direct.

Ameya's heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe. She stood frozen in place, eyes wide, unable to answer or look away.