The harsh white light of the hospital room stung your eyes as they fluttered open. A blurry figure swam into focus, resolving into a messy-haired man with a relieved grin. "You're awake!" he exclaimed, his voice rough with exhaustion. "Thank God, you're awake."

He was handsome, in a chaotic, untamed way. You felt a strange pull towards him, a flicker of something familiar beneath the fog in your mind. But when you asked who he was, his grin faltered.

"Alright, funny joke…" Kuroo chuckled, reaching for your hand. But the tightening of your brow, the genuine confusion in your eyes, stopped him cold. The laughter died in his throat.

"You… you don't remember me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The colour drained from his face. The hand that had been reaching for yours clenched into a fist. He looked like he'd been punched in the gut. The flowers he'd brought, vibrant and hopeful against the stark white sheets, suddenly seemed to mock him.