Stray Kids sat in their usual meeting room, expecting the same old routine: maybe a new tour date announcement, another variety show appearance, or more rehearsals. What they didn't expect was the wide, too-excited grin plastered on their manager's face as he entered the room, clipboard in hand.

"Alright, guys, big news!" the manager started, his voice a little too chipper for what could possibly be a normal meeting. The group exchanged wary glances, already feeling uneasy.

Lee Know leaned back in his chair. "Why do I feel like this isn't going to be good?"

Bang Chan furrowed his brow. "What now? More dance practices?"

"No, no," the manager waved him off. "You're all starting something new. A fan-voted show."

"A fan-voted show?" Seungmin raised an eyebrow. "That's either really great... or really terrible."

The manager chuckled, enjoying the suspense. "It's a cooking show!"

The room fell into complete silence. Blank stares, mouths hanging open.

"Cooking?" Han finally broke the silence, his voice cracking with disbelief. "As in... using fire and ingredients?"

"Like... for people to eat?" Hyunjin added, eyes wide with concern.

"Yes! It's going to be great! Once a week, you'll be given ingredients, and you have to recreate a dish. No recipes, no instructions—just pure teamwork and genius." Their manager was clearly excited, but the boys looked less than thrilled.

Changbin laughed, crossing his arms. "Genius? None of us even know how to boil water."

Felix nodded in agreement. "We'll set the kitchen on fire. And not in a good way."

Lee Know rubbed his temples. "Do you remember the last time we tried to make ramen? The water evaporated before we could even put the noodles in."

Bang Chan sighed deeply, already stressed at the thought of wrangling the group. "And it's a fan-voted idea? So we have no choice?"

"Exactly," the manager grinned. "The fans want to see you guys cooking."

"Well, they're in for a disaster," Jeongin muttered, half-hiding his face behind his hoodie.

"You'll all be fine!" The manager waved off their complaints. "You just need to figure out how to make a few simple dishes. First episode will be pancakes. Easy, right?"

"Pancakes?" Seungmin scoffed. "I've never even flipped a pancake in my life. What makes you think I won't burn it?"

"Pancakes don't flip themselves," Han added, shaking his head. "This is gonna end with us in the ER."

Hyunjin's eyes sparkled, though. "At least I can make them look pretty! Instagram-worthy disasters."

Bang Chan sighed, leaning back in his chair. "This is going to be a nightmare."

"And the fans will love every second of it," the manager quipped. "Just think of it as... a bonding experience. You'll all get better as you go."

"I'll be lucky if I don't poison myself on day one," Felix laughed.

The manager clapped his hands. "That's the spirit! Filming starts tomorrow. Good luck, chefs."

As their manager walked out, the boys were left staring at each other in disbelief.

"Are we actually going to survive this?" Jeongin asked, voice full of dread.

Bang Chan groaned, already feeling a headache forming. "Well, we're about to find out."