Renju took the proffered seat and set her bag down at her feet. Now that she thought about it, this was the same spot where... but now wasn't the time to think about that. She had more important (and, in their own way, more stressful) things to concern herself with right now.
She was also, incongruously, regretting not bringing a bowl of her (now-apparently-traditional?) soup along with her.
"You seem to be doing well." She was trying to get marginally better at this whole "small talk" business. It was slow going, though, and still rather awkward, something visible in the stiff way she held herself.