Slime Sauce Sweet and Sour Pork

My last memory of the Recipe Development Club? If asked, I could confidently say it was packed with gear and tools that looked like they'd been ripped straight from a school home ec room or bought cheap from a secondhand furniture discount store.

But the sight unfolding before my eyes now was nothing like that memory.

No more rusty iron tables—instead, a sleek island-style countertop made of what looked like premium black marble. No more frying pans with the coating peeled off—now shiny new ones with diamond coatings. And beyond that, top-tier kitchen gadgets and broadcasting equipment whose purposes I couldn't even guess.

"Whoa... Senior sisters. You guys really made it big, huh?"

Jinwoo muttered in awe, scanning the scene that evoked the studio of some major corporation's cooking show.

"Ahh~ This? It's all thanks to our new recipe blowing up recently! We owe it all to you, Eugene!"

I'd wondered where the money came from for all this equipment, but apparently, the club's support project had hit the jackpot. Come to think of it, I'd heard lately that the Recipe Club—ReGaDong—was pulling its weight as a golden goose. This must be why.

"By the way, sis. Where's Senior Lee Se-ri?"

Maybe because he'd dealt with them directly, Jinwoo asked in a friendly tone, and one of the members pointed toward the camera setup.

"Probably broadcasting over there."

"Broadcasting?"

Following her finger, I spotted Lee Se-ri in front of the camera, apron on, beaming brightly.

"Hey~ Hello, Cookie fans! I'm Lee Se-ri, vice president of the Recipe Development Club and the chef for our Make Cookie channel!"

She waved at the camera with practiced ease, delivering her cute greeting.

"What the heck is she doing?"

Jinwoo blinked, clearly seeing this side of her for the first time, and questioned the bizarre scene.

"Looks like they've been raking in cash lately, but as a bronze club, they weren't drawing much interest from new students. So they're posting videos online and streaming to boost visibility. Basically, desperate measures to survive."

With memberships dwindling and closure looming, they revive the club through broadcasts.

...Sounds awfully familiar somehow.

"Ooh, today's dish is... baro baro—bya bya byak! Ugh! I'll chop and grind it again!"

Mid-recording, Lee Se-ri waved her hand frantically. Spotting us, she bounced over, waving excitedly.

"Oh? Vice President Eugene and Jinwoo! When did you get here?"

Her smile was as heartwarming as ever. Jinwoo and I waved back, and she dashed out of the set toward us.

"What's up? I was just about to bring over today's dish."

...Today too? The fridge is already overflowing—Jiyoon's been carting off snacks—and now more?

"No, no. Actually, I came to ask a favor."

"Huh? A favor from you?"

Was it that shocking? Her eyes widened bigger than I'd ever seen.

"I was hoping you could cook this for me."

I casually placed "it" from the cube onto her palm.

"This is...?"

"A golden yuja. You know what it is, right?"

No one who cooks on the peninsula wouldn't.

"H-how could I not know! The fruit from the oldest ghost tangerine tree on Jeju, ripening only once every ten years... A true phantom ingredient from legend! B-but how did you get it?"

Her hand trembled as she stared at it, baffled. I shrugged.

"The club support project made me a tidy profit."

"Ahh...!"

True, I'd picked it myself, but she bought it. Everyone knew the project had been lucrative.

"Think you can manage it?"

A fantasy ingredient no ordinary chef could even touch. She'd already handled it—no way she'd refuse.

In fact...

"O-of course! N-no one in this academy handles spirit herbs better than me! I guarantee it!"

She nodded firmly, steeling her resolve, then turned to go.

"Oh, right."

She paused, grinning mischievously my way.

"In return... mind if I ask one little favor?"

"A favor?"

"Yeah. I'm developing recipes and cooking for you, so a small request should be fine, right?"

Hmm... Fair point. I was providing rare ingredients to help her grow, but she was using her skills for me.

"If it's simple."

"Yes! Follow me then!"

She pocketed the yuja in her apron, grabbed my hand, and bolted toward the set. Jinwoo, left behind, yelled, "W-wait, what about me?! Don't you need me?!"

"Jinwoo, help the other members!"

And he was stuck.

Suddenly dragged to the set, I asked, "Uh... what do you need me to do here?"

Just hauling me here blindly—what now?

"Oh, yes! Help with my shoot."

"...Pardon?"

What did this senior just say?

"Help with the shoot!"

"The... shoot?"

"Yes! I've been handling it solo so far, but lately I've hit a wall—no progress."

She showed me her phone screen: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Recipe Development Club's channel.

"100K is pretty good, isn't it?"

That's brag-worthy anywhere.

"Th-the problem is... it hasn't grown past 100K lately. I need some fresh change. And boom—our Eugene shows up! This is a gift from the gods!"

Wait...

"You want me to appear in your videos?"

"Exactly! Someone like you would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠definitely click... that, uh, face of yours?"

Huh?

"Me?"

Hearing it so bluntly threw me off—it'd been ages. She blushed, head down.

"Well... yeah? You even have a fan club."

First I'd heard of that.

"I have a fan club?"

"Yeah. It's pretty famous on the school community boards."

"...What?"

I checked the academy forum, searching my name.

Posts galore:

I clicked the one with the most comments: 1st Year Han Yujin? Total Gigolo Vibes Fr

"...What the hell is this?"

I knew eyes were on me lately at the academy, but I never imagined this kind. Sure, my notoriety had spiked, and getting 【Academy Top Scorer】 boosted my charm big-time, but this fallout?

My head spun.

"Um... Vice President Eugene? You okay?"

Lee Se-ri's worried voice snapped me back. I shook my head and eyed the camera.

"Yeah. Fine."

Okay, think rationally. What do I gain helping her?

1. Boost her morale and earn a favor.

2. She'll pour everything into golden yuja recipes.

3. Club success spreads good vibes to our support biz.

4. More growth means more revenue for Famiglia.

Downsides?

1. Embarrassment. That's it.

Selling my face? The academy forum and outsiders are already buzzing about the 1st-year topper. This is nothing. Just swallow the cringe.

"Um... Vice President?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Let's do it. The shoot."

Ditching all those gains for a bit of shame? Not my style. Might as well go for the wins.

"Ah, yes! Guys! Reset the broadcast! Lights for two people!"

"Got it! VP! Jinwoo junior, move that light over quick!"

"Me? Th-this one?"

"Yes! More to the side! Side! There!"

The members sprang into action the moment I agreed. The solo stage was now for two.

"Eugene, ever used a knife?"

"Knife?"

True, this body mostly shot guns or punched—knives were rare. But...

I'd cooked solo before.

"Basics, yeah."

"Good. Should be easy then. We're doing something simple."

Simple dish?

"Camera standby! Eyes on the lens, both of you!"

A member's voice from the front. Jinwoo on lights, apparently.

"Vice President Eugene's screen presence is killer! This vid's gonna blow up! Ready... 3, 2, 1—action!"

The camera op's call kicked it off, Lee Se-ri smiling beside me.

"Hey~ Hello, Cookie fans! I'm Lee Se-ri, vice president of the Recipe Development Club and chef for Make Cookie! Special guest today: Seoul Hero Academy 1st-year topper and Famiglia club VP, Han Eugene! Hello, VP!"

"Hello."

Surprisingly, no nerves once rolling. People? Sure. A camera? Please.

Smooth sailing so far.

"Great to have you! With a cooking newbie like VP Han Eugene, we're keeping it easy today! What're we learning? This!"

She hoisted the placard from the floor.

"Sweet and sour pork!"

Ah. I see the problem.

"Cut. Cut. Hey, Lee Se-ri."

"Yes?"

"You want more subs, right? For club growth."

"Yeees...?"

"This won't cut it."

"Whaaat? R-really?!"

She jumped in shock.

"No worries. Luckily, I know a surefire way to make your channel explode."

"A-a way?!"

Her eyes screamed I had no idea! I grinned.

"Yeah. I guarantee it. This'll hit big."

——Guaranteed.

* * *

"Hello. Today we have cooking newbie VP Han Eugene!"

"Hi, Han Eugene here. Excited to learn from the ReGaDong VP."

"No worries, I picked a good one. Today's dish is...!!"

Confident, she lifted the placard. A menacing blue acrylic board rippled threateningly. The word alone sparked curiosity.

"Slime sauce sweet and sour pork using slime!"

Yes. This is it.