the gods lie. [B0032]

2016 PB Manga, short, stand-alone graphic novel. Natsuru Nanao, a 6th grader who lives alone with his mother, strikes up an unlikely friendship with the reserved and driven Rio Suzumura. Natsuru plays hookey from soccer camp that summer, and instead of telling the truth to his mother, he spends all his time with Rio and her kid brother at their rickety house, where a dark secret threatens to upend their fragile happiness.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "I like the moral of this story -- that as human beings, terrible things happen to us, but we hope against hope things will get better, no matter what."; "The art is really nice, and I like some of the perspectives. A bit of a downer, and as always wanting more at the ending, but still I'm glad to have read this. I also found the title more meaningful by the end. "Gods" more like parents or adults to young children; the people looked up to for all the answers. The two leads here are 11 or 12, and too young to deal with a hardship that happens."; "It's very rare to find a One Shot with the right amount of pacing, one that manages to have an emotional impact on you in such a short time and finally a decent closure. This manga managed to do all this!; "Has some wonderfully disturbing elements. Still, the budding romance between the two leads is sweet, a light in the darkness for them."