The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive: Manga Guide

The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive is a boys’ love (BL) manga by Waga, originally published in Japanese as Kakushi Aji ni wa Sukoshi Amai Shitagokoro (隠し味にはすこし甘い下心). The story follows Hirayama Shun, a popular café worker who develops a crush on MAO, a beautiful online streamer, only to discover that the streamer is a cross-dressing man whose characteristics remind him of a regular customer, Mao Nakadai.

Published under the GUSH COMICS label by Kaiohsha, the manga blends romance, drama, and slice-of-life storytelling. Its central appeal comes from Shun’s unexpected attraction, the connection between an online persona and a real-life customer, and the secrets that complicate their growing relationship.

This guide covers the actual plot, main characters, genre, publication information, and legitimate ways to find the manga.

What Is The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive About?

The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive is a slow-developing BL romance about a café worker who falls for a streamer without initially understanding the connection between the online personality and someone he knows in real life.

Hirayama Shun is handsome and popular with customers at the café where he works. However, he struggles to get along with one particular regular, Mao Nakadai, who tends to treat him coldly and does not speak to him.

Shun’s perspective changes when he discovers MAO, a beautiful female-presenting streamer, on a video platform. He falls for the streamer’s appearance and begins watching older videos, eventually discovering that MAO is a man who cross-dresses.

The revelation leaves Shun confused. Although he has considered himself straight, his attraction does not simply disappear after he learns MAO’s sex. Meanwhile, he notices similarities between MAO and his difficult regular customer, Mao Nakadai.

That connection creates the central mystery and romantic tension. The story asks how Shun will respond as the boundaries between his online crush and his real-life interactions become harder to ignore.

The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive: Quick Facts

The official publisher listing confirms the creator, Japanese title, BL classification, imprint, and release date. You can verify these details on the publisher’s official book page.

Main Characters in The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive

Hirayama Shun

Hirayama Shun works at a café and attracts attention because of his good looks. Although he receives plenty of interest from customers, his interactions with Mao Nakadai are notably different.

Shun becomes fascinated with MAO after discovering the streamer online. His initial attraction is based on the streamer’s appearance and presentation, but learning more about MAO forces him to question his own assumptions about attraction.

Shun’s internal conflict gives the romance its emotional foundation. Instead of following a straightforward crush-to-relationship progression, the story places him in a situation where his feelings are more complicated than he expected.

Mao Nakadai

Mao Nakadai is a regular customer at Shun’s café. Unlike the other customers who admire Shun, Mao treats him rather coldly and does not speak to him.

This difficult real-life relationship contrasts with Shun’s excitement about the streamer MAO. As Shun notices similarities between the two, the possibility of a connection becomes an important part of the story.

Mao’s role helps link the café setting with the online world and creates the tension that drives the plot.

MAO

MAO is the online streamer who captures Shun’s attention. Presented as a beautiful female streamer, MAO becomes the object of Shun’s crush before he discovers that the person behind the persona is a cross-dressing man.

The revelation changes how Shun understands his own feelings. It also creates a central question: can he reconcile his attraction to MAO with the assumptions he has made about himself?

MAO’s online identity and real-life connection to Shun’s café create the story’s defining romantic complication.

What Makes This BL Manga Different?

An online crush with a real-life connection

Many romance stories begin with two characters meeting in person. This manga reverses that expectation by letting Shun develop feelings for a streamer before realizing that the online world may overlap with his everyday life.

The contrast between a digital persona and a real person adds uncertainty to the relationship.

Cross-dressing and identity

MAO’s presentation is central to the premise. Shun initially falls for the streamer without knowing the truth, then has to process his continued attraction after discovering that MAO is a man.

The story uses this revelation to explore the gap between assumptions and actual feelings. It also raises questions about how people understand attraction when their experiences do not match their expectations.

Slow-developing romance

The story’s setup emphasizes gradual discovery rather than an instant relationship. Shun must make sense of his feelings while the similarities between MAO and Mao Nakadai become increasingly significant.

Readers who enjoy romances built around misunderstandings, secrets, and slowly changing perspectives may find this premise particularly appealing.

Café and streaming settings

The manga brings together two everyday environments: a café where Shun works and the online platform where he discovers MAO.

These settings allow the story to contrast public attention, private interests, online presentation, and face-to-face interactions.

What Genre Is The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive?

The manga is primarily a boys’ love romance with dramatic and slice-of-life elements.

• BL romance: The relationship centers on attraction between male characters.
• Drama: Shun’s unexpected feelings and the characters’ overlapping identities create emotional tension.
• Slice of life: The story uses ordinary settings, including a café and online streaming, rather than a fantasy world.
• Cross-dressing: MAO’s presentation is a major part of the premise.

These elements make the manga a better fit for readers seeking contemporary character-driven romance than for readers looking for action, supernatural powers, or an elaborate fantasy setting.

Is The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive Complete?

Publication status and chapter counts can differ between databases because some listings count the collected edition, individual digital installments, or bonus material separately.

The Japanese publisher lists the collected manga edition released on January 9, 2025. AniList records the work as a manga with six chapters and one volume, while other digital listings separate installments such as Chapter 5.2. Google Play also lists a digital edition series with a release dated January 7, 2026.

These records should not be treated as identical chapter counts. For the most reliable information about current availability, edition details, and new releases, check the publisher’s listing and its linked retailers.

This guide does not claim a definitive international serialization status because the available listings do not use one consistent chapter-counting method.

Where Can You Read The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive?

The best starting point is the Japanese publisher’s official listing. It provides the manga’s publication details and links to purchase options.

• Official publisher page: Check the title, creator, imprint, and edition details.
• GUSH COMICS official title page: Visit the publisher’s series listing.
• Digital and print retailer links: This creator-interview page links to retailers including Renta!, Comic Cmoa, ebookjapan, and Amazon Japan.

The title is listed in Japanese, so availability in English may be limited. Check each retailer’s language, territory, and edition details before purchasing.

Prefer authorized editions over unauthorized manga aggregators. Official releases are more reliable for publication information and help support the creator and publisher.

Who Created The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive?

The manga is written and illustrated by Waga and published by Kaiohsha under the GUSH COMICS label.

The publisher describes it as a slow-developing love story between a popular café worker and a cross-dressing streamer who both have secrets. That description closely matches the central premise involving Shun, MAO, and Mao Nakadai.

For additional background, read the Waga creator interview published by The Television, which discusses the manga and the appeal of its central setup.

Is The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive Worth Reading?

This manga may appeal to readers who enjoy romance driven by unexpected attraction and the discovery that an online crush has a connection to everyday life.

Its main strengths are the unusual premise, the café and streaming settings, and Shun’s uncertainty after learning the truth about MAO. The relationship develops around a specific emotional question rather than a generic conflict about revenge or professional ambition.

It is especially worth considering if you enjoy BL stories involving cross-dressing, online identities, and gradual romantic development.

Readers who prefer action-heavy plots, fantasy settings, or a clearly documented long-running chapter schedule may want to check the current edition information first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive is a BL manga by Waga that explores an unexpected crush, a cross-dressing streamer, and a connection between online identity and everyday life.

Rather than centering on revenge or a calculated romantic arrangement, the actual story follows Hirayama Shun as he tries to understand his attraction to MAO and the similarities he notices between the streamer and Mao Nakadai.

For readers searching for The Secret Ingredient Is a Slightly Sweet Ulterior Motive, the most useful next step is to consult the official publisher listing for edition details and authorized reading options. The manga’s distinctive premise makes it a good candidate for readers who enjoy character-driven BL romance with secrets and gradual emotional development.