Teju earnestly pleads with her parents, Mohit and Mukta, for permission to go to Nagpur. After some back-and-forth, they finally agree, but under one strict condition—she must be home by 9 PM. Teju beams with approval. As she hops into an auto, she reaches out to Sammy to see her whereabouts. Sammy, still waking up, apologizes and reveals she can’t join her. Annoyed but playful, Teju teases her friend about being lazy, to which Sammy laughs and replies, “Just go alone, and if your parents catch you, just blame it on me!”
Meanwhile, Rituraj prepares for his meeting with Teju when Amai, Nandini, Neel, and Prachi arrive, bubbling with excitement to congratulate him on his upcoming performance in the U.S. They can’t help but notice Rituraj’s unusually sharp attire. Amai smirks, asking, “Who are you meeting? That girl from Trimbak?” Nandini quickly dismisses the thought, saying, “There’s no way she’d come all this way for him.” Rituraj fires back with a witty remark, leading to further playful teasing from his friends.
The conversation soon pivots to marriage, with Amai and the others nudging him about settling down. Rituraj firmly states, “I’m never getting married.” Neel chuckles, teasing him, “Afraid your wife won’t let you meet your fans?” Rituraj laughs, responding, “Exactly!” before setting off to meet Teju.
At the restaurant, Teju arrives early and takes a seat. Minutes later, Rituraj joins her and inquires about her journey. Teju sighs and shares, “Sammy bailed on me! I had to come all by myself.” She confesses her guilt about lying to her family. Rituraj offers a reassuring smile, saying, “Traveling is the best teacher; you should explore more.” Teju chuckles, “Try explaining that to my mother!” Rituraj replies playfully, “Challenge accepted.”
Back at home, Mohit’s mother asks Satish about Aditi. He responds that Aditi is out playing with the kids, then expresses exasperation about not being able to arrange her marriage because she’s still unmarried. Lakshmi raises an eyebrow, questioning, “So you won’t get your daughter married if Aditi doesn’t?” Mohit’s mother agrees, insisting that Aditi must marry first to avoid societal gossip. Juhi, however, remains unconcerned, replying, “I still have my studies to finish, so don’t worry about me.” Lakshmi shakes her head, saying, “This mentality has to change,” just as Aditi walks in.
Back at the restaurant, Rituraj gives Teju a warm smile and surprises her by saying, “You know what? I think I’ve become your fan.”
In the upcoming scene, Rituraj confesses his feelings for Teju. Later, as Teju waits for transportation at night, she feels a chill as she notices a goon staring at her. Just then, Neel pulls up in his car, listens to her concerns, and kindly offers her a lift.