. The Clinic of Progress
Chairman Kim Taehyung arrived at the Progressive Wellness Clinic disguised as a potential investor interested in "discreet long-term rehabilitation." The clinic was modern, minimalist, and eerily quiet—a perfect place to hide a psychological resurrection. Every corner felt deliberately antiseptic, emphasizing the control exercised over the fragile minds within.
His research indicated that the lead neurologist and co-founder of the clinic was Dr. Lee Su-hyeok—a brilliant but ethically ambiguous trauma specialist known for radical, protective therapies. Dr. Lee was the "healer" mentioned in Yeong-ho's coded note.
Taehyung was led into a quiet, sunlit office. Dr. Lee was younger than expected, with calm, steady eyes that held no judgment—the eyes of a man who dealt with fractured minds daily.
"Welcome, Mr. Kim," Dr. Lee greeted him, offering a slight bow. "I understand you are interested in our specialized trauma programs? May I ask what specific kind of cognitive recovery you are pursuing?"
Taehyung ignored the pretense. He placed the white, mud-stained handkerchief from Yeong-ho on the table.
"I am interested in P's Progress," Taehyung stated, his voice cold. "And I want to know the precise ethical calculation used for inducing a dissociative amnesia in a patient to protect her from her own identity."
Dr. Lee didn't flinch. He glanced at the handkerchief and sighed, acknowledging the confrontation. "Ah, the trail of breadcrumbs leads back to us. Predictable, yet efficient." He added, "You move quickly, Chairman. Choi Min-ho chose his allies well."
II. The Healer's Justification
"Why?" Taehyung demanded, his voice tight. "Tell me why you felt it was your right to tamper with a human mind, to create this... this Eun-ji persona? You know the corporate and legal chaos you unleashed. It was an extreme measure."
Dr. Lee leaned back, folding his hands. "Chaos, Chairman? That chaos was already resident in her mind. We merely channeled it." He continued, "Bae Ha-eun was not just under corporate pressure; she was facing a complete psychological fracture. She saw her entire life—the love, the career, the promise—as a brutal, beautiful lie. She was actively disconnecting from reality. If she had lived through the fall, she would have done one of two things: committed suicide, or returned as a cold, dangerous sociopath."
"She was the Chairwoman of Taewon! She was ruthlessly capable!"
"She was a twenty-year-old child wearing a Chairman's armor," Dr. Lee corrected him softly, his tone unwavering. "That armor was failing. Min-ho brought her to me, not as a business asset, but as a traumatized human being. She was barely clinging to sanity. Her only subconscious request was to be free to paint and to have one true protector. We did not force the amnesia; we merely created the environment for her mind to choose a new, safe reality—the reality of the gentle artist, Eun-ji."
Dr. Lee opened a sleek folder on his desk. "We are not murderers, Chairman. We are simply curators of sanity. We gave her the life she always deserved, a life free from the Architects and the crushing expectations of the Vow. Our Hippocratic Oath demanded we save the person, not the title."
III. The Final Warning
Taehyung looked away, the weight of his own moral choice (Part 19) confirming Dr. Lee's cold, rational actions. He had chosen to protect the lie, but he needed to know the durability of that protection.
"What is the risk now?" Taehyung asked, his voice low and serious. "If the truth comes out? How stable is this new personality?"
Dr. Lee closed the folder with a sharp click. "The stability is dependent entirely on your performance, Chairman. You saw the warning from Dr. Han, I assume. The danger is not just psychological collapse. It is the trigger. Every piece of the old life—a corporate memory, a public confrontation, a betrayal by a loved one—can act as a trigger. But the biggest trigger of all, Chairman, is the Vow itself."
"What do you mean by the Vow?" Taehyung pressed, needing the precise details.
"The bond between Ha-eun and Seok-jin, and the promise between Ha-eun and you—these are not memories, they are emotional neural pathways, forged in extreme pain and commitment. If she is forced to confront the depth of her past love or her final betrayal, the 'Eun-ji' defense will shatter. You will unleash a personality that is both ruthless and terminally wounded. You must maintain the lie for her to survive. It is your only duty now."
Taehyung stood up. He had not only confirmed the existence of the "kindness conspiracy," but he was now its primary enforcer. He had the power to restore the old, fierce Ha-eun, but he had to choose the weak, dependent Eun-ji to save her life.
"Thank you, Doctor," Taehyung said, picking up the handkerchief. "Your clarity is appreciated, if terrifying. Consider me a long-term investor in your... unique methodology. My objective aligns with yours: complete, permanent stability for the patient."
He left the clinic, the weight of the new truth settling on him. He had arrested the villains, but the real battle was being fought in his own home, in the mind of the woman who didn't know his name, but whose life depended on his lie.