"小5男子"を助手席に伴い、ともみんは涼しい顔でコラムシフトレバーを操作する。
「Knew it.」口から出そうになった言葉が引き返す。
ツッコんだら負け。下世話なダジャレで返すなどもってのほか。
助手席の小学生はこちらをちらりと見る。
しまりのない表情、その眼光がほんの一瞬変化する。
見透かされていたのはこちらかもしれない。
ともみんは涼しい顔で、トラックは軽やかに湖を渡っていく。

※The following text is a direct translation generated by AI

With a “Year Five boy” riding shotgun, Tomomin worked the column shifter without a hint of concern.
“Knew it.” The words nearly escaped before quietly retreating again.
Responding to it would have been defeat. Returning fire with an equally tasteless pun was out of the question.
The boy in the passenger seat glanced over.
The loose expression remained, though the eyes sharpened for only a moment.
Perhaps she was the one being read instead.
Tomomin kept her cool expression as the truck rolled lightly across the lake.