Johnny Cage's body fought desperately against the suffocating grip of the water, but with each passing moment, his strength waned. Yuri, unmoved by Johnny's struggle, pulled his head out of the water, causing Johnny to gasp and cough violently, the pain shooting through his bruised ribs and battered body.

Yuri's disdain was evident in the sneer that twisted his lips as he regarded Johnny. "Pathetic," he spat, his voice dripping with contempt, " I expect more from you, Cage."

Kenshi, his heart aching at the sight of Johnny's suffering, took a deep breath, steeling himself to intervene. But before he could make a move, his worst fears were realized as Yuri grabbed Johnny once again and mercilessly dunked his head back into the water.

Johnny's muffled gasps and struggles tore at Kenshi's soul. "Please, Haroshi, stop this!" he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation and anger. "Johnny can't take any more of this!"

Haroshi contemplated if he should let the actor drown or not. He can see how much the actor is struggling.

Kenshi couldn't contain his emotions anymore at Johnny's struggle, his heart breaking at their situation's helplessness. "Stop it, please!" he begged, his voice cracking with emotion.

But Yuri, fueled by sadistic pleasure, continued to hold Johnny underwater, his grip unrelenting. Johnny's body convulsed as he fought for air, his lungs burning with the desperate need for oxygen.

Kenshi's eyes filled with tears as he witnessed Johnny's relentless fight for survival. His spirit was unbroken even in the face of such cruelty.

Roman decided it was time to intervene," Pull him up." Haroshi ordered with his hands behind his back.

Yuri obeyed without hesitation. Johnny's body convulsed as he was dragged out of the pool, coughing violently and gasping for precious air. The ordeal had taken a toll on his already weakened state, leaving him trembling and exhausted.

Kenshi, unable to contain the flood of emotions that overwhelmed him, felt tears slip down his cheeks behind his blindfold. His heart ached at the sight of Johnny's struggle; his hands clenched into fists of frustration and sorrow.

Johnny gasped for air, each breath a painful reminder of the brutality they had endured. Yuri, with cruel efficiency, dragged Johnny next to Kenshi, causing Johnny to collapse to the ground in a heap, his body shaking with exertion and pain.

Haroshi clicked his tongue in disapproval at the spectacle before him. " What a shame," he muttered, his voice carrying a cold disdain.

Johnny mused the strength to call out for Kenshi despite his weakened state. "Kenshi," he rasped, his voice strained but filled with relief at hearing Kenshi's presence.

Kenshi's heart clenched at the sound of Johnny's voice. "I'm here, Johnny," he replied, his voice trembling with emotion.

The Yakuza enforcers, indifferent to the suffering they had inflicted, lifted Johnny to his knees once again, their grip firm as they forced him to remain upright. Johnny's body trembled with the effort, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to stay conscious.

Haroshi's gaze lingered on Kenshi, his expression unreadable as he began to speak, " Mr. Cage speaks highly of you, Takahashi, even though you're the main reason he's suffering."

Kenshi, his blindfold concealing the tears that still dampened his cheeks, felt a surge of desperation and determination. "Please," he implored Haroshi, his voice pleading. "Let Johnny go. He can't take any more of this." He pleaded still, clenching his injured leg.

Haroshi tilted his head slightly, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Why would you make such a request?" he asked, genuinely curious about Kenshi's motives.

Kenshi's heart ached at the sight of Johnny's weakened state, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain. "Because I can't bear to see him suffer any longer," Kenshi confessed, his voice filled with anguish. "He doesn't deserve this."

Weak and struggling for each breath, Johnny called out for Kenshi, his voice barely above a whisper. "Kenshi..."

Kenshi turned his attention to Johnny, a mixture of love and determination shining in his eyes behind his blindfold. "It's going to be okay, Johnny," he assured him, his voice filled with conviction. "I'll make sure of it."

Turning back to Haroshi, Kenshi made a decision that weighed heavily on his heart but was driven by his love for Johnny. "I'll rejoin the Yakuza," he stated, his voice steady despite his turmoil. "If it means Johnny can be free, I'll do whatever it takes."

"Kenshi! D-don't... d-do... it..." Johnny struggled to say.

The blind swordsman turned back to his husband. " Don't worry, my love, I'm going to be okay."

Haroshi regarded Kenshi with a newfound respect, admiring his willingness to sacrifice his freedoms for the sake of someone he loved. "You truly care for him," Haroshi acknowledged, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Kenshi's gaze never left Johnny, " I love him more than anything." A sad smile found its way on his face, " I would give everything in the world for him."

Johnny couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes. His body is in so much pain from the brutality he has endured. But this pain is nothing compared to the pain he would feel if Kenshi was not in his life. The moments they shared would be nothing but memories.

It hurt. God, it hurt so goddamn much.

Haroshi, observing the scene with a sense of satisfaction, acknowledged Kenshi's willingness to serve the Yakuza, " Very well." He said almost approvingly, " It's clear where your loyalty lies. It's admirable how you are willing to go in the name of love."

Kenshi let out a shaky breath, knowing that his husband was going to be safe. It felt like a bittersweet moment, to say the least. Kenshi loves Johnny so much that he couldn't imagine a world without him. But Kenshi knows this is the only way to ensure Johnny's safety.

" However..." Hiroshi snapped his fingers again, a signal that carried a weight of finality. The Yakuza members dragged Johnny in front of Kenshi. Johnny's weakened form struggled against their hold, his eyes locking with Kenshi's in a silent plea for understanding and support: "For you to ensure your loyalty to the Yakuza, we have loose ends that need to be taken care of."

Johnny and Kenshi's eyes widened as they processed Haroshi's words.

"What do you mean, loose ends?" Kenshi asked, his voice filled with confusion and fear.

Haroshi's expression remained impassive as he explained, "Johnny has seen too much. He knows too much about our operations." He turned his gaze towards Johnny, his tone cold and calculated. "And you, Kenshi, cannot afford to have any distractions."

Kenshi's heart sank at the realization of what Haroshi was implying. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, and the gravity of the decision he was forced to make became painfully clear.

Johnny, filled with fear and resignation, looked at Kenshi, silently conveying his understanding of their dire circumstances.

The tension in the air was palpable as Haroshi pulled out a gun, his expression cold and relentless. With a deliberate motion, he pointed the gun at Johnny's temple, the metal barrel glinting in the dim light of the surroundings.

Kenshi's voice shook with disbelief and horror as he protested, "This wasn't the deal! You can't do this!"

But Haroshi remained unmoved, his gaze steady as he ignored Kenshi's pleas, " Unfortunately, Kenshi, this is an outcome bound to happen."

Johnny, facing imminent danger with a sense of resignation, looked at Kenshi with love and understanding, his eyes silently urging him to stay strong.

"Kenshi, stay strong," Johnny whispered, his voice filled with love and a hint of sadness. Tears fell down his face, knowing his fate. " I... l-love...y-you," he said.

Before Kenshi could respond, a gunshot shattered the silence, the sound echoing through the air like a thunderclap. Johnny's body jerked as the bullet struck him, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Blood began to pool around Johnny's head, a stark and chilling reminder of the brutality of their reality.

" NOOOOOO!" Kenshi shouted, his heart shattered as he watched Johnny's life slip away, tears streaming down his face as he cried out in anguish.

"Johnny!" Kenshi's voice cracked with grief, his hands reaching out helplessly towards his fallen husband.

Haroshi, his expression unchanged, tucked the gun away with cold efficiency. The deed was done, and there was no turning back.

Kenshi's world shattered as he knelt beside Johnny's lifeless body, his heart heavy with grief and disbelief. Tears streamed down his face as he reached out to touch Johnny's cold, still form, his mind struggling to accept the cruel reality of what had just happened.

"Johnny, get up," Kenshi whispered, his voice trembling with desperation. But Johnny did not respond, move, or show any sign of life. Kenshi's heart clenched with agony as he begged again, "Please, Johnny, get up."

But Johnny remained unmoving, his eyes closed, his head tilted to the side, revealing the fresh bullet wound that marred his once vibrant spirit. The yin-yang necklace they both wore rested on Johnny's chest, a silent symbol of their bond and the love they shared.

" You brought this on yourself, Takahashi. Now you're going to live with the consequences of your actions." Haroshi said, indifferent to Kenshi's grief. He turned to Yuri, and another Yakuza member issued orders, "Dispose of the body," he commanded, his voice cold and detached.

Yuri and his accomplice obeyed without hesitation, grabbing Johnny's legs and dragging his lifeless body away, out of sight. The process left a trail of Johnny's blood on the ground.

" Johnny!" Kenshi's heart broke as he watched them take Johnny away, his voice rising in a desperate cry, "No!"

But his cries fell on deaf ears as Johnny's body disappeared from view, leaving Kenshi alone with his pain and sorrow. The reality of Johnny's death weighed heavily on Kenshi's shoulders, a crushing burden that threatened to consume him.

" I'm so sorry, Johnny. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Kenshi sobbed.

With tears streaming down his face, Kenshi vowed to honor Johnny's memory, to seek justice for his senseless death, and to never forget the love they shared. But in that moment of profound loss, the world seemed bleak and empty, devoid of the light and warmth that Johnny had brought into Kenshi's life.