Teju's Musings

– + Confrontation Massaging the back of her neck with her hand, with a look of frustration evident on face, Ari pushed open the kitchen door. The aftereffects of a busy workday lingered in her hunched posture. The Purple Chime Café had grown popular lately, drawing in new customers almost every day. With her shift finally over, she removed her apron and slung her bag across her shoulder. Scanning the counter, she expected to see Rams — but instead, Maya sat alone, stirring an untouched cup of hot chocolate. “Hey, Maya!” Ari called, walking over. Maya looked up with a faint smile, her eyes tired but calm. “Hey, Ari.” Something in her tone made Ari pause. “I heard from Rams that you’d be stuck with OT for the next two weeks. The project’s done already?” Maya exhaled, her gaze dropping to the steaming cup. “I guess it’s done. No more OT.” A short pause. “I resigned.” “What?!” Ari blinked, startled. Her hand twitched toward Maya’s, but she stopped sho...

– + This or That? As if turning pages , months passed by. Putti Sings had soared beyond their wildest expectations — now just a few hundred subscribers away from the YouTube Silver Button. Their marketing strategy of mutual growth — tagging local bands, collaborating with independent artists, and allowing remixes of their songs for reels and shorts — had struck a chord. What began as a small passion project — a shared dream — now earned real bucks through the YouTube Partnership Program, affiliate marketing, and even a few brand promotions. After much contemplation, Ari finally made a decision — she quit her morning data-entry job. Between her role as a chef at The Purple Chime Café — where Rams had recently given her a raise — and the growing income from her music, she was doing well. __________________ A week later came the surprise of a lifetime: an invitation to collaborate on a song for a web series. The offer felt unreal. Recognition for some...

– + Second Chances “Sarangeul haetda uriga manna~” (Call Ringtone - Love Scenario – iKON) Ari’s phone rang just as she boarded the metro on her way to the café. “Puttiii! WE MADE IT! I knew my best friend’s talent was too good to be hidden!” Maya’s voice was practically shouting through the speaker. Startled, Ari gripped her phone tightly, shifting her sling bag. “Calm down… what happened, Maya?” she asked. “What do you mean calm down?! We got 1.2k views on the music video! Don’t even get me started on the promotional Shorts!” “ Wait—really? You’re not pulling my leg?” Ari asked, her pitch unusually high as her heart began to race. Maya rolled her eyes, her smile audible through the phone. “Really!! I’m posting the stats on the Instagram page I created for our songs. Check for yourself! Anyway, gotta run—manager’s back. I’ll call you later!” Tut tut. The call cut off. For a moment, Ari stood frozen, the faint hum of the metro and low chatter...

– + Alive Tuesday morning arrived with the familiar hum of the city outside Ari’s window. She had been up early, mentally preparing for the day. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, a strange nervousness fluttered in her chest, though her upturned lips betrayed her excitement. For the past two days, they had fine-tuned the music, making all the necessary corrections. Surprisingly, Ravi’s earlier admiration of Rams’s guitar skills had been understated — the boss was truly talented. And Maya, despite her modesty, was far from mediocre, Ari realized. The way the two of them synced effortlessly, testing harmonies and adjusting tempos, was surprisingly satisfying. Ravi, ever the storyteller, began recounting their college love story once more, but Maya waved him off, reminding him there was no time for distractions. Thanks to this little team of “experts,” the music was finally fine-tuned, recorded, and transferred to a USB drive. The quality exceeded Ar...

– + Vibrant Hues “You can count on me like one, two, three, I'll be there  And I know when I need it I can count on you like four, three, two and you'll be there  'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeah” (credits - Count on me by Bruno Mars) Humming along to Bruno Mars’s voice leaking through her earplugs, Ari leaned back against the metro seat, on her way to the KR Puram flower market. Three days had flown by, and it was Sunday again — the day she had agreed to meet Mira at the market the previous weekend. Ari found herself scanning the compartment, half-hoping to spot Amy among the commuters — the familiar, bubbly girl in pink who had, quite unintentionally, shaken her quiet little world. Unfortunately, the metro announcement rang through the speakers first. Ari sighed, a hint of disappointment in her furrowed brows, and got off at the station. Soon enough, there she was — the ever-enthusiastic Mira, waving her hand with ...

– + The Collaboration “Sure thing! Thanks, guys!” Ari said, her voice filled with gratitude. She was genuinely moved by their support. “Anyways…” Ravi leaned in, grinning wide. “Is your first song done yet? I’m already dying of curiosity.” “Yo, dude! Ever learnt the word ' space' ?” Tina cut in dryly as she joined the group after hitching an Uber. Ravi straightened immediately, grumbling under his breath. He never quite got along with Tina — she was too quiet, too detached. You’d only ever find her cooking or scrolling through her phone. To everyone’s surprise, Tina turned to Ari and said, “Congrats, Ari!... I heard the convo and subscribed.” She held up her phone. “This is your channel, right?” The screen read: ‘Putti Songs – 42 subscribers.’ (most of the subscribers are friends of Mira , forced into subscription by her) Ari’s eyes widened, then softened. “Yes… that’s the one. Thank you, Tina.” Tina shrugged. “Don’t mention it. It’s the least...

– + The Reveal “Gossiping behind your employer’s back?” Maya teased. Ravi smiled nervously, his face paling to a shade lighter than his usual complexion. Ari and Tina suppressed their smiles, their heads bowed. They knew it wasn’t serious enough to cost anyone their job. Rams was a great boss—stern, yes—but he usually overlooked the chatter among his employees as long as it didn’t go too far. His version of PDA was to turn a blind eye whenever the gossip was about how his amazing wife had him wrapped around her finger. Catching uneasy glimpses of Rams and trying to gauge his mood, Ravi replied in a higher pitch, “No, no! It’s not gossip, but propagandising your love to the world. I was just narrating your college love story to Ari—how the boss joined the Music Club for you, confessed at the campfire while playing your favourite song… how you two were voted Best Campus Couple… and—” Their love story was well known to Ravi, who had been their junior in colleg...

– + Spark Scritch~ Scritch~ As soon as she had entered her room, Ari sat cross-legged on the bed, pulling her songs notebook and a pen from her bag, which now lay haphazardly on the floor. Excited by her new inspiration for the tune— with a strong instinct that it might actually work this time—she retrieved her phone and opened a free online piano website. The notebook and pen rested on her lap, awaiting her attention. Having known how to play the basics of piano notes—Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Da Ni Sa—since college, she began working out the tune, making small tweaks to fit her lyrics while humming and tapping on the phone screen.  After a while, she figured something out. Thrilled, she quickly jotted down the music notes above her lyrics in the notebook. Feeling a sense of accomplishment, she glanced at her watch: 4:00 p.m .  Her eyes widened. Stuffing her notebook into her bag, she rushed to freshen up— oh no! only a few minutes left before she had to catch th...

– + Lullaby Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound of fingers hitting the laptop keys echoed through the otherwise quiet hostel room. With her roommate gone for a family event, Ari had the space all to herself. “And… done!” she announced dramatically, stretching her arms above her head and groaning. After an hour of working on her remote data-entry job, she padded over to the water tin in the corridor to refill her bottle. It had been four days since her visit to the flower market—and equally four days since the two best friends had impulsively created a YouTube channel at the tea stall. While Mira had volunteered to handle editing and channel maintenance, Ari knew the main responsibility of creating content rested on her shoulders. After all, what’s a YouTube channel without anything to post? Mira had told her it was okay to take things slow, and Ari had agreed—wanting the first song to be special. But the thrill of doing something new made her pulse quicken. Unlike her u...

– + Best Friend "Next station, KR Puram. Doors will open on the left. Please stand clear of the doors." Ari stood, adjusted her bag, and stepped onto the platform; the air thick with the scent of flowers, dust, and city life. She scanned the crowd and spotted Mira waving energetically. "Mira," Ari called, walking over. "Finally! Hey...why do you look so out of it?" Mira asked. " Oh welI! thanks to a certain someone I gave up my long-earned beauty rest I could have enjoyed today," Ari said, bowing a little with a hand on the back and the other on her heart , her tone dramatic with mock sarcasm. Mira rolled her eyes. "There's more to life than sleep, my dear. Come on now, let's go before you start sleeping while standing." Ari glanced at her best friend, wondering once again how this woman seemed to carry more energy than her body could hold. They set off toward the stalls with Mira clin...

– + The Girl in Pink Hum~ Ari plugged her earphones back in and turned to the window, hoping to avoid any further stretch of conversation. "Hey, what's your Insta ID?" the girl in pink asked, tilting her head and waving her phone playfully. Silence . "You really don't talk much, do you?" "And you can't take a hint, can you?" Pause . She felt bad for snapping at the cheerful girl – especially after she had gone out of her way to return the lost page. "Apology accepted!" The girl in pink beamed and plopped down beside Ari. Ari sighed. So much for her "stay away from me" act. She pulled out her earphones and stuffed them into her bag, silently wishing the journey would end quickly. "I'm Amy, by the way," the girl said brightly. Ari glanced at her. "Hi, Amy?" "Yes!" Amy grinned. "So, what do you do? Besides writing awesome songs,...

– + The Encounter “nan dulyeoun geol~ cholahae~ I'm so afraid   gyeolgug-en neodo nal tto tteonabeolilkka? tto gamyeon-eul sseugo neol mannaleo ga ”   (#credits - An excerpt from BTS Song Truth Untold.) Truth Untold. A song which Ari resonates with deeply all the time, played into her ears through the earplugs. After exhausting herself the previous night in the kitchen, she somehow managed to reach home only to hit the sack immediately after a quick shower. It took everything in her to get up from the bed this morning. Ari’s schedule for the day had been decided two weeks ago, and it felt irresponsible to cancel at the last moment. She was supposed to meet her extroverted best friend, Mira, in about half an hour at the KR Puram Flower Market — Mira had roped her into helping pick flowers for her cousin’s engagement décor. They’d known each other since school, and even now, Ari sometimes wondered how that girl with all her explosive ene...

– + Purple Chime Cafe Chime~ Ari pushed open the door of the café, mentally preparing herself for the busy Sunday evening. Soft golden light spilled across the wooden floor, mingling with the hum of conversation and the faint sound of a guitar from the small stage in the corner. The cafe was already starting to fill up — regulars finding their favorite spots, new customers glancing around in appreciation of the pleasant ambience. 'Purple Chime Cafe' , Ari's workplace, is a cozy hybrid of a restaurant and music cafe. Despite its name, it served more than just coffee; the menu was stacked with pizzas, burgers, and pasta that drew in the weekend crowd. A long glass counter separated the kitchen from the dining area, giving customers a clear view of the chefs at work — dough flying, ovens glowing, pans sizzling. Ari worked behind that glass as one of 3 chefs of the Cafe, her little world framed by reflections of the stage and its golden light...