Once you find yourself a stranger in a completely different country, it's rather easy to empathize with awkward individuals. America is wonderful for that.

[and once again the cheerful surface belies more jabs at both Mac and the entire country. this conversation gone on longer than Hikari had thought it would, but she can't say that it's an annoyance; she's enjoying continually locking the boy into this pretend pleasantry, and is looking forward to the moment when he can't take it any longer]

All the same, it's reassuring to know this is your natural state.