The story is set against a backdrop of sudden, violent transition. Lakshya, a boy of vibrant energy and "yellow" spirit, has been caught in a scandal involving illegal papers. The fallout is immediate and brutal: school authorities turn cold, and the social fabric around them tears apart. Prateek, Lakshya’s closest companion, is caught in the crossfire—beaten by his peers and watching his mother’s reputation crumble. In this moment of extreme pressure, the world narrows down to a single survival instinct: Protection. The heart of the tragedy lies in two missed phone calls. Panicked by the thought that the police are using Lakshya to target his mother, Prateek makes a split-second decision. He ignores the call, hangs up the second one, and flees the city on a Tatkal train. He tells himself he is being a "good son," but the truth is darker: he is choosing his mother’s safety over the promise he made to be Lakshya’s anchor. While Prateek was boarding a train to a new life, Lakshya was standing at the edge of his old one. For Lakshya, Prateek wasn't just a friend; he was the only person who could handle his "abusive" affection and scolding honesty. With his school gone and his world falling out, Prateek’s unanswered call was the final blow. The hope Lakshya held—that he wouldn't be alone—shattered. He didn't just drown in a river; he drowned in the silence left by his best friend. Three years later, Prateek returns to his hometown to sell his house, his heart "folded" like a childhood photograph. He navigates the city looking for someone to blame. He provokes Samar to feel a sense of righteous anger and visits Lakshya’s father, only to find a hollow man who offers pity instead of the punishment Prateek secretly craves. Prateek realizes that he can never leave this frame. He is a "Man without a Shadow," living a life of duty for his mother while his soul remains submerged in the river with Lakshya. He chooses to stay in the Spiral—forever looking toward the horizon where the sun meets the water, but never allowing himself to walk into the light.