Before leaving the café, Jai turned to Chahat. "Chahat, if you don't mind, I'd like to invest in your shop. That way, I can support my own pocket money. What do you think?"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Tia jumped in. "What about me? Even I want to earn my own pocket money! You guys have no idea how stingy my family is when it comes to giving me any."
Ramprasad Uncle chuckled. "Alright, alright, you youngsters can do as you see fit. But we'll divide the profit according to our investment. That way, it stays fair."
Veer hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Can I invest too? I don't have much, but I've saved nearly a lakh."
Chahat looked around, gauging everyone's expressions. Seeing their enthusiasm, she finally nodded. "I'm fine with all the investments."
Tia clapped her hands. "Great! Everything is set. Now, we just need to do some shopping." She turned to Ramprasad Uncle. "Uncle, we're depending on you for the kitchenware.
Chahat reached for the list she made before and said uncle I've checked what's available, and I've made a list of what we still need. Here, take a look."
Uncle took the list and glanced over it. "Only buy these for now. If we need more, we can purchase them later."
Kitchen Essentials:
Tawa (Flat Pan)
Steamer
Small Deep Frying Pan
Medium Saucepan
Toaster or Sandwich Maker
Plates & Bowls
Basic Knife & Chopping Board
Containers
Minimal Kitchen Tools & Accessories
Mixer Grinder
Veer nodded. "Alright, next—furniture. Foldable tables and chairs would be best for flexibility."
"Agreed," Jai added. "And we'll need three counters—one for billing, one for serving, and one for preparation. Plus, we'll need a billing machine."
"And don't forget decorations," Tia said. "We should all decide on the shop's theme together."
Chahat smiled. "That brings us to the main thing—what should we name the shop?"
Tia's eyes sparkled. "How about we use the first letter of our names? It'll be unique and meaningful." She grabbed a notepad and scribbled:
C for Chahat
R for Ramprasad Uncle
J for Jai
T for Tia
V for Veer
"We can use these letters to create a stylish name and a logo," she suggested.
Jai smirked. "Huh, so you do have a brain."
Tia huffed. "You'll get a nice beating from me if you keep that up."
"Okay, okay," Jai laughed. "No more teasing."
Tia grinned. "Good.
Today was a crucial day—they had to finalize everything before making the big purchase for the shop.
The space had been cleaned out the same evening, clearing away years of dust and remnants of its past use. Now, with a fresh start ahead, they sat discussing the next steps, mapping out what needed to be done before they could officially begin setting up.
"I asked the painter to finish by today. The walls should dry quickly in this weather," one of them noted, glancing toward the shop. The pale sunlight cast a soft glow on the fresh coat of paint, making the small space look newer, brighter.
"Good. Once it's dry, we can bring in the furniture and start placing things. No point in buying everything first and cluttering the place while the paint is still fresh," another replied, taking a sip of their tea.