The victory over the 'Chapter 10' sabotage cemented the unique partnership between the two Yoon Minjis. The danger was clear: as long as the plot's minor threads unwound, either YMS's reality or YMB's safety could be compromised.
Jungkook, the financier, immediately set up the 'Double Life Protocol.' They met in his soundproof, subterranean home bunker.
"We can't hide," Jungkook explained, his voice low and serious, displaying a holographic map of Seoul with key 'Minji' locations highlighted. "The universe will keep trying to find a loophole to fulfill the script's destiny for a Yoon Minji. The structure demands a specific collapse. Our job is to create too many viable escape routes. We need to neutralize the common links."
"The common links are the points of high narrative probability," YMS confirmed, tapping the holographic map. "Identity, finance, and association. If all three align, the plot's gravitational pull becomes too strong."
The first common link was the name itself. YMB, the baker, legally changed her surname to 'Kim,' adopting her grandmother's maiden name. The documentation was processed in less than twenty-four hours, orchestrated by Jungkook's legal team.
"Yoon Minji is a recognized variable," YMS noted. "Kim Minji is a statistically new, unwritten character. It breaks the metadata linkage."
"Exactly," Jungkook said, nodding. "Consider it a clean slate on the cosmic database."
The second common link was financial vulnerability. Jungkook discreetly purchased the bakery building, gifting it outright to YMB with a comprehensive, untouchable trust fund. The side character's 'poverty plot' was instantly dissolved.
YMB looked at the papers, genuinely stunned. "This... this is an excessive amount of security, even for preventing a minor tragedy."
"There is no 'minor' tragedy when a person's life is at stake," Jungkook countered simply. "We eliminate the need for the desperate circumstances that the plot relies on."
The third link was the 'brief, happy scene' mentioned in the novel before YMB's original death in Chapter 12: the friendship with the heroine, Chae A-Ri.
"The plot uses A-Ri as the nexus," YMS stated. "A-Ri's life is the main narrative; we are just satellites. The plot will try to pull YMB back into A-Ri's orbit for the next scheduled minor tragedy, likely involving a dangerous romantic rival or a high-pressure incident."
YMB nodded, her expression regretful but firm. "A-Ri is sweet, but she's a magnet for drama. I need a clean break. The safety of my new life is more important than nostalgia for the old script."
The solution was surgical. YMS, using her status as the formidable corporate strategist, orchestrated a seemingly accidental encounter with Chae A-Ri.
The café was quiet, deliberately chosen for its neutral, cold ambiance. Chae A-Ri looked slightly intimidated across the table from the famously ruthless Yoon Minji.
"Thank you for meeting me, Ms. Chae," YMS began, her tone measured, devoid of warmth. "Let's be clear: this is not a social call. It is a corporate damage assessment."
Chae A-Ri nervously clutched her coffee cup. "Oh. Is... is everything alright with Min-Joon's company?"
"It's purely strategic, A-Ri," YMS said, leaning forward slightly, invoking the full weight of her corporate authority. "Dusk Industries' research suggests that certain personality types, unfortunately, attract unnecessary legal exposure and public scrutiny. You, being the center of high-stakes social events, are a node of instability."
Chae A-Ri frowned slightly. "I don't understand."
"Let me clarify," YMS continued, her eyes unwavering. "Your friendship circle, while charming, is a liability to our CEO's public image and the financial stability of any individual connected, however peripherally, to Dusk Industries' staff, including junior staff and their acquaintances. We've noticed your connection to Kim Minji, formerly Yoon Minji."
"Minji?" A-Ri blinked. "She's just a baker, a friend."
"She is now a beneficiary of a significant corporate investment, Ms. Chae. And your association risks attracting the kind of drama that could devalue that investment overnight," YMS fabricated smoothly. "It would be mutually beneficial if you maintained professional, cold distance from all individuals who work for, or are associated with, our staff. This includes the former Yoon Minji. Her new life depends on anonymity."
Chae A-Ri, overwhelmed by the cold, corporate authority of the renowned Strategist Yoon Minji, quickly and apologetically agreed. "Yes, I understand completely, Ms. Yoon. I... I will maintain a respectful distance. I wouldn't want to cause any trouble for Minji."
The 'heroine's friendly orbit,' the most dangerous pull on the side character, was surgically severed.
YMB was now safe, financially secure, and free from the tragic influence of the main plot. The Yoon Minjis had completed the final structural modification to their shared reality.