The Sin of Loving Me (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7

“Hae Joo is under my temporary protection. Once you’re discharged, you take responsibility for her. And please look after Father for me.”

Do Jun had never mentioned her to Yi Jun, except for the day he first met Hae Joo. He hadn’t even told him her name.

Yet in his letter, Yi Jun wrote that he was temporarily protecting Hae Joo.

Frowning at the abrupt, confusing message, Do Jun felt irritated.

Just when he thought he’d finally managed to let Hae Joo go from his heart, here Yi Jun was dragging her back into his thoughts. He hated it.

It was break time, so he immediately dialed from a public phone.

“Hey, Park Yi Jun! What’s with that letter?”

“Call me hyung.”

“Don’t dodge the question—just answer me.”

Yi Jun’s voice sounded weaker than before, yet he chuckled softly at Do Jun’s energetic tone.

“The girl you like—is her name Lee Hae Joo?”

“How did you know?”

“How could I not? You’re practically broadcasting it while brawling around everywhere.”

“Has something happened to Hae Joo?”

“Worry about yourself. I’m about to die soon.”

“Park Yi Jun won’t die. I guarantee it.”

“Are you God now?”

“Stop talking like a coward. I’ll be on leave soon, so just wait.”

Though Do Jun said those words, he struggled hard to suppress his growing despair.

The only reason he’d been able to endure the void left by their late mother was because he had his twin brother, Yi Jun.

But Yi Jun had been frail since birth.

While watching over Yi Jun, who treated the hospital like his second home, Do Jun had unexpectedly met Hae Joo, and his attention had shifted to her.

Guilt surged into Do Jun’s innermost being. No matter how much he tried to avoid it, Yi Jun seemed fully prepared to accept death.

“Do Jun-ah, don’t you have anything else to tell me?”

“If you open the drawer of my desk, you’ll find a bankbook and a check card.”

“Why’s that?”

“I meant to give them to you but forgot. Your birthday’s coming up soon.”

“Is there a lot of money in that account?”

“About fifty million won. Buy whatever you want.”

“When did you save that much?”

“Stocks, of course. Don’t tell Father—he’ll scold me, saying stocks are gambling.”

Yi Jun chuckled softly again.

“You, Do Jun—you’ll make a lot of money someday.”

“What’s with the random comment? I’ll be on leave around your birthday, so I’ll see you then.”

He never imagined this would be his last conversation with Yi Jun.

When Do Jun rushed to the hospital on leave, he was met with a heart-wrenching farewell that left him utterly shattered.

Yi Jun wasn’t supposed to die.

Never.

“Damn bastard—you said you were dying, yet you spent the money so neatly.”

The fifty million won Do Jun had given Yi Jun was completely withdrawn from the account. He wanted to ask where it had gone, but now he never could.

All Yi Jun had left behind was the letter he’d sent to the military.

A short note, merely stating he was temporarily protecting Hae Joo and asking Do Jun to take care of their father.

Do Jun only understood the meaning of that letter much later.

He’d thought his connection with Hae Joo had ended when he belatedly learned she’d left home—but it hadn’t.

“Before he died, Yi Jun arranged a marriage for you with some girl.”

“…What?”

President Park had been diagnosed with dementia.

They’d only found out after taking him to the hospital following his increasingly strange remarks and behavior.

Seizing a moment of clarity, he confessed to Do Jun a secret he’d kept to himself.

“Yi Jun felt so guilty toward that girl that he asked me to give her fifty million won.”

“Fifty million won?”

“Yeah. He asked me to hand it to her, so I met her and gave it on the day of his funeral.”

Do Jun instantly realized—it was the very money he’d given Yi Jun.

“You made someone file a marriage registration under the name of a man about to die? What sin did that girl commit?”

“Looks like I’m being punished for it.”

“I’m going crazy.”

“The problem is, that idiot Yi Jun pulled off something he’d never done while he was alive.”

“What kind of trouble?”

Do Jun’s mind went blank.

Separate from the shock, his heart clenched—he already guessed what ‘trouble’ Yi Jun had caused.

“He went ahead and registered the marriage under your name.”

“Who is that girl…?”

“Lee Hae Joo. She’s the second daughter of a woman who borrowed money from me.”

“…!”

“I thought I should tell you before I lose my mind completely.”

“Father!”

Only then did Do Jun snap back to reality.

He finally understood: to protect Hae Joo, he needed knowledge and strength—not just his fists.

People thought Do Jun was obsessed with money, but that wasn’t true. He’d only ever run toward Hae Joo.

“Hae Joo, you have no idea why I had to become a monster.”

He tossed and turned restlessly until dawn broke.

He dozed off briefly, then woke again.

When he went downstairs, Hae Joo had already finished getting ready to go out.

“You’re awake?”

Hae Joo greeted him awkwardly, avoiding his eyes.

Her untouched breakfast still sat on the table—she must not have eaten.

“Where are you going?”

“I have a meeting about my next project.”

“On a weekend?”

“It was postponed because of the scandal.”

She acted as if nothing had happened.

Her tone, void of all emotion, was just like when they’d reunited the day before.

“Wait a moment.”

Leaving Hae Joo at the front door, Do Jun sprinted upstairs.

When he reappeared, he was holding a small case.

“What’s that?”

“If we’re going to be husband and wife, we might as well do it properly.”

Do Jun held out his hand.

Not understanding his intention, Hae Joo stared blankly between him and the case.

“Give me your hand.”

“Why, why are you doing this?”

Do Jun gently measured the thickness of Hae Joo’s slender finger with his eyes, then opened the small case with a peculiar expression.

Inside lay a pair of simple, sleek rings.

“Don’t take it off.”

“We should’ve discussed something like this together…”

“When did you ever discuss the marriage registration with me?”

“That’s different.”

“You wanted me to save you, right?”

“What?”

“I’m doing this because I want to save you—just keep it on.”

Do Jun slipped the ring onto Hae Joo’s ring finger.

Surprisingly, it fit perfectly.

In this awkward moment—certainly no proper proposal—Hae Joo’s cheeks flushed.

Do Jun’s rough sincerity, impossible to refuse, still hadn’t settled well with her.

“I’m late.”

“Go ahead.”

After stepping out the front door, Hae Joo fidgeted with the hand wearing the ring.

Sighing, she wondered who would actually notice a wedding band anyway.

She immediately got into the car Do Jun had given her. As she drove from the quiet neighborhood toward Seoul, she muttered to herself.

“I’ve got a husband overnight.”

When they’d agreed to live together, Hae Joo had wondered how often she’d bump into Do Jun at home.

But contrary to her expectations, he somehow knew about her recurring nightmares and had woken her that morning.

She still vividly remembered how tightly he’d held her—as if he’d never let go.

“So that man was Do Jun.”

Do Jun’s embrace was hotter, bigger, and sturdier than she’d imagined. In their thin T-shirts, the unfamiliar sensation of their bodies touching quickly overwhelmed all her senses.

He was her husband. Do Jun, who had just slipped a ring onto her finger…

“When did he even get the rings…? Damn it!”

She’d arrived at GN Entertainment’s building but couldn’t get out of the car right away—several reporters were camped outside.

Hae Joo had deliberately parked in a nearly empty street-side spot, yet the reporters immediately started snapping photos as if they’d been waiting.

Only after walking calmly into the building with her usual serene expression could she finally exhale the breath she’d been holding.

“So it’s not over yet.”

Hae Joo stared down at the ring Do Jun had placed on her finger.

The sharp-eyed reporters couldn’t have missed the ring on her hand.

Do Jun had prepared this while she herself was too flustered to think of anything.

Now Hae Joo had truly become Do Jun’s wife. Whether or not he’d foreseen this exact situation, she felt incredibly fortunate.

The extreme tension from moments ago vanished, leaving her suddenly famished.

Hae Joo rubbed her aching stomach.

“I’m hungry.”

She’d arrived early, so she had time before her appointment. In the meeting room, Hyun Sung was already preparing coffee and snacks for everyone.

“Nuna, you’re here!”

“No one else is here yet?”

“Nope. If you haven’t eaten, go ahead and have something first.”

Hae Joo took a sip of iced Americano, then bit into a sandwich.

She finished it in seconds and went to the restroom to freshen up.

No matter what she did, the ring kept drawing her attention.

Back in the meeting room, another person was fixated on Hae Joo’s ring.

It was Jin Han.

“Hae Joo, the article’s already out. What’s with that ring?”

He pulled up the freshly posted article about her on his laptop.

It featured a photo of her getting out of the car moments ago.

Titled ‘I’m a Married Woman Now,’ the piece vaguely noted she was wearing a wedding ring.

“It’s a wedding ring.”

“Did President Park Do Jun give it to you?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not seriously pretending you two actually got married, right? This isn’t some child’s play.”

“Director, if we ever divorce, we should at least keep the scandal under control.”

Jin Han, already on edge, bit back whatever he’d been about to say.

Do Jun’s meticulous actions unnerved him, though he tried not to show it.

Just then, a woman wearing large sunglasses knocked on the open meeting room door. When all eyes turned to her, she removed her sunglasses.

“Senior Yoon Ji, hello.”

She was Hong Yoon Ji, an actress celebrating her 10th year in the industry.

Yoon Ji, with her tense, sensitive expression and innocent-looking eyes, brushed off Hae Joo’s greeting without a word.

“Director, could I speak with you for a moment?”

Jin Han looked clearly troubled.

Avoiding a direct reply, he pretended to check some documents while glancing at the time.

This would’ve been unthinkable in the past.

“I have another meeting soon, so I can’t stay long.”

Yoon Ji had been unrivaled in advertising thanks to her captivating looks and figure. After her lead drama became a massive hit, she’d moved into films too.

Countless people lined up to cast her, and her standards kept climbing higher and higher.

She refused commercials and photo shoots unless they were from top-tier brands, claiming it was to preserve her image. Behind the scenes, though, she’d grown lazy, neglecting self-improvement in favor of partying.

Consequently, every project she took on flopped, and lately, public interest in her had waned significantly.

“Ugh! This is too much!”

“Let’s talk outside.”

As the atmosphere grew tense, Jin Han dragged Yoon Ji out of the meeting room.

Watching carefully, Hae Joo quietly asked Hyun Sung,

“What’s going on with Senior Yoon Ji?”

“She even got dropped as the main model for R Cosmetics.”

“I know that much.”

“He’s been pressured to bring in a CF, and the only thing he managed to secure was a laxative commercial.”

“Oh.”

“A bizarre insurance ad and now a laxative… No wonder she’s furious.”

Having finished setting up for the meeting, Hyun Sung glanced around.

Once he confirmed no one was passing by in the hallway, he lowered his voice.

“The ad agencies for R Cosmetics and V Motors—the same ones Yoon Ji nuna used to represent—contacted us wanting to cast you, Nuna.”

“Me?”

“Yoon Ji nuna probably heard about it and blew a fuse.”

“I see.”

Yoon Ji had once been so vital to GN Entertainment that people said she single-handedly kept the company afloat. But in her current state, renewal of her contract seemed uncertain.

“Director Jin Han has worked really hard to promote Yoon Ji nuna.”

“…”

“But Yoon Ji nuna never puts in the effort herself. She’s always busy clubbing or meeting men.”

“Yeah.”

“The Director’s had a tough time cleaning up after her messes.”

Hae Joo finally understood why Jin Han had seemed so stressed earlier.

It wasn’t just someone else’s problem—his active intervention had greatly helped contain her recent marriage scandal, and Hae Joo felt unexpectedly moved.

Moments later, Yoon Ji slammed open the office door she’d gone into.

She stormed out angrily, and Jin Han returned with a stiff, hardened expression.

“Has Director Kwak arrived yet?”

“I’ll go check.”

Hyun Sung darted out quickly.

Hae Joo quietly pulled out the movie script she’d reserved in advance.

“It seems Director Kwak still can’t decide on your role.”

“I think I’d be better as Young In.”

Director Kwak was a filmmaker who’d drawn attention even at international film festivals.

This movie was set to feature four lead characters—two men and two women—in a romantic thriller.

The role Hae Joo coveted was Young In, a psychiatrist, which demanded subtle, internalized acting.

“No. You absolutely must take a bold, strong-character role.”

“Then how about So Hee’s role?”

“Let’s use this chance to firmly establish you as a serious actress.”

So Hee was a mysterious character with intense emotional range—passionately in love with the male lead while secretly wearing a mask and committing brutal crimes.

The film’s plot centered on the gripping psychological battle between her and Young In.

“There was a scene like that, but I’m not sure I can handle it…”

“Hae Joo.”

“Yes?”

“I want you, as an actress, to become known worldwide. And I’ll make sure that happens.”

“Yes.”

“And stop worrying about President Park Do Jun’s opinion in front of me.”

Today, Jin Han’s nerves were unusually sharp. His piercing gaze and expression—unlike anything Hae Joo had seen before—seemed tinged with affection toward her.

“Acting is acting! You’re an actress!”

“…”

“You have to live by your acting.”

Just then, Hae Joo’s phone vibrated.

Do Jun had sent a message. Startled by the serious atmosphere, she almost dismissed it, but the content caught her eye.

[Just so you know—you must get my agreement before taking on any romance movies from now on.]

The timing was exasperating.

Of all genres, he wanted her to explain every detail of a romance film?

It was mortifyingly awkward.

At least, it was for Hae Joo.

Her hair practically stood on end, and she quickly fired back a reply.

[This movie is a romantic thriller.] [If you really insist on doing it, you’ll have to convince me thoroughly—and officially!]

“Convince” and “officially.”

Judging by Do Jun’s phrasing, these two words—though seemingly different—shared one clear meaning:

Before Hae Joo did any scenes with another male actor, she had to do them with him first.

In short: don’t even think about it.