Sophia and Alexei gets assigned to work under Gleb. However, Gleb helps only Lyosha... and completely ignores Sophia, only stating that her diagnosis is incorrect and leaving without explanation. Sophia thinks that he acts this way due to her refusing his advances and that diagnosis may even be correct (Gleb just wants to spite her). Alexei suggests that Gleb could be right (he just refused to explain why the diagnosis is wrong), but Sophia points that she knows about this specific sphere too much to "just mistake": she'd wrote a dissertation about it. Alexei confronts Gleb about him abusing Sophia, and Gleb finally shows why he called her diagnosis incorrect; the mistake was so obvious, it's strange that she missed it. But Sophia refuses to believe Lyosha, thinking that he tries to sabotage her, too, out of "jealousy". She continues believing that she's right, ignoring any and all critique, even when Lyuba double-checks by herself and confirms it. At evening, Sophia's work gets interrupted by Gleb, who orders her to undress (and seemingly proceeds to undress himself), stating that he "can't hold himself any longer, and wants her here, now". Then Alexei enters and orders Gleb to stay away from Sophia... because she's "his". And then they both gets interrupted by Bykov, who orders them all to stay away from a "genius" and stop distracting her from her work. Then all three mockingly applauds. Only then Bykov explains that they all knows about her mistake, but she keeps ignoring everything and everyone out of arrogance. Just simply giving her a night shift isn't enough, so she would be punished with manual work, like floor-cleaning.
Maxim brings delicious, hard-to-obtain grape with him... and before anyone, even Max himself, has a chance to taste it, Bykov takes it all by himself and leaves. Max can't tolerate this: this means war! But Maxim needs a plan how to get even with Bykov (or at least get grapes back). His initial plan fails before it even starts, as the twins warns him that Bykov keeps nothing in the fridge. But he comes with another. He spent two hours, but here it is: a big, tasty melon... and ugly, non-tasty pears. He's certain that Bykov would take the pears, as they're right in the open, while for melon he has to search. Lyosha, thinking that the plan is stupid and doomed anyway, eats the pears on his own as soon as Max leaves. Bykov effortlessly finds the "hidden" melon, and states that he's long aware where people are hiding their food.
Kisegach thinks that something is wrong with Bykov; he keeps disappearing at night, without explaining where or why. She asks Kupitman for help, who presumes that she's suspecting Bykov of cheating, but turns out that she's afraid that he started riding his bike again; she's afraid that it may end the same way as first time. Kupitman does as requested, but Bykov reveals that he's simply going to his old apartment, as it's the only place he can sleep calmly. Kupitman feels insulted: Bykov has secret shelter, while Kupitman has to stick with Sophia, and can't even invite women because of that! He gives Bykov an ultimatum: either Bykov gives him the keys, or Kupitman rats him out. Meanwhile, Kisegach learns about apartment on her own, by asking Bykov's friend Boar. At late evening, she arrives there, and finds the traces of romantic date, which was already followed by something else. She angrily leaves, never learning that it was Kupitman with his lover (they were in the shower). Kisegach calls Bykov, and when he replies to the question where's he with "washing melon" (referring to the one he took from Maxim), this becomes the last straw. When Bykov comes home, she tells him that it's over, and kicks him out, as he "has where to go".
This episode provides examples of:
- Blatant Lies: When Bykov suddenly leaves during the night just when Ilya started screaming (loudly), Kisegach later asks him where he had been. He provides her with a series of versions to pick from, only for her to each time point out that she checked those locations and he was not there (last of them being a balcony, from which the only escape is to jump down), after which he just states that he went into hospital to prepare the drugs report. When asked where is said report then, he states that "it's not ready yet", and just leaves. This makes Kisegach suspecting that he tries to hide something from her, kickstarting her plot.
- Chekhov's Gun:
- Kupitman blackmails Bykov into giving him the keys from Bykov's old apartment, so Kupitman may use it for his dates. When Kisegach arrives into this apartment, she notices clear signs of romantic date occurring here... but misattributes them to Bykov.
- That melon Max brought into the hospital and tried to hide from Bykov? Bykov finds it anyway, and takes it with him. Later, when Kisegach calls him, he answers "I'm washing melon!", which acts as the last straw for her (she previously found "evidences" of him cheating on her).
- Crazy Jealous Guy: When Alexei tries to help Sophia by pointing out the mistake in her diagnosis (which he learned from Gleb), Sophia refuses his aid, thinking that he tries to sabotage her out of jealousy: she previously rejected his advances, too, and now Alexei acts this way due to Gleb showing his interest to Sophia. Lyosha feels nothing towards her (he did try to hit on her, but more as self-imposed challenge), but Sophia just ignores his reasonings.
- Double Entendre: "I'm washing melon!". Bykov means actual melon, Kisegach mistakes it for an euphemism for butt. Considering that she already thought that he cheats on her, it acts as the last straw.
- Identical Twin Mistake: For the first time in series, Kisegach correctly identifies the twin she's talking to (Igor). However, turns out that it was a blind guess.
- Mistaken for Cheating: Doubly Subverted. At first, it looks like Kisegach (again) suspects Bykov of cheating on her... but turns out that she's worrying about him starting riding the bike again. But unlucky chain of events leads to her actually assuming that Bykov is cheating on her, using his old apartment; she then kicks Bykov out. Unknowingly to her, Bykov uses the old apartment as he can't sleep well at home; the person who was there with a woman is Kupitman, who was let there for a night; and the "melon" which Bykov washed was actual melon, not euphemism.
- Open Secret: Turns out that Bykov is aware that his subordinates are hiding their food from him (and even knows where they put it). He considers this to be some kind of a game (they're hiding, he's searching), and takes what he is interested in (like tasty and healthy melon), while ignores junk food (like Valera's chips).
- Small Name, Big Ego: Sophia thinks that she is so awesome, everyone just can't help but like her — and she likes it: Gleb still lusts after her after she rejected his advances, and only tries to sabotage her because he tries to force her into accepting him; Alexei, whom she rejected, too, is now jealous because of Gleb; and Bykov just considers her to be his best student. Unfortunately for her, her diagnosis is wrong: Gleb genuinely considered her mistakes so obvious, it was unnecessary to elaborate further, as he thought she would notice by herself; Alexei (who's not actually attracted to her; it's a matter of hurt honor) tries to explain those mistakes for her instead of Gleb; and Bykov quite likely was just sarcastic, especially since he stated it when she asked to check her, before leaving for the other tasks. Then she sees Imagine Spot, where everyone praises her for just how awesome she is. Naturally, when Bykov learns about this (from Lyuba), he punishes her, both for mistreating her friends (Alexei) and for disrespecting authorities (Gleb was technically her superior).
- Sudden Principled Stand: Maxim can tolerate Bykov yelling at him, punishing him, insulting him. But blatantly taking away his food is where he draws the line; this means war!
- Taking Advantage of Generosity: When Max offers Bykov to taste grapes, Bykov takes it all and leaves, without even thinking twice.
