Teach Me Something // LH44

Chapter Five

It doesn't take long for us to get seated and as we walk through the restaurant, I realise that I don't think it's because he's him. Instead there's something else about it as he talks fondly to the small Japanese man that is walking us to a table near the back. I wasn't sure if Lewis had somehow seen my reaction over the door thing, but he did it once more as we got to the table, going out of his way to pull out my seat and push me back in before taking his own. I took the opportunity of him saying a few more quiet things to the host to look around the rather busy restaurant.

The space wasn't huge, certainly not lavish but it was cosy and that increased the warmth of the nights that were still plaguing us in London in September. The few tables that were in there were filled with couples, ranging from much younger than us to those much older than us, everyone in their own worlds as they got comfy in the wood-themed decor. The music of a string instrument I didn't recognise was only just discernible over the chatter of the other patrons of the establishment and frequently interrupted by the yells from the kitchen by the chefs who were a mix of fire and swords it seemed from where I was sat watching them. There was a smile on my face when I finally turned back to Lewis to once more see him looking a little amused by me as I reshuffled my awkwardly large bag on the floor.

"I don't normally... that is to say that I haven't... I'm not really used to..." I fail to finish a single one of those thoughts as I look at him. It's like each time I think I know the next thing to say, I fall flat on my face and find myself restarting, everything about him made me nervous as he leant forward to listen to me fail to speak with such intensity that I was glad to be sitting down. A groan of frustration escapes as I smile at him apologetically for the inability to speak and instead run my hand through my hair. "I mean to say that I don't normally go out much - even with my friends so if I come off like a fool, I'm afraid to say that it'll be an accurate representation," I eventually manage to hurry out the words that are along the right lines of what I intended to say. He doesn't say anything immediately in response, the skin around his eyes creasing when I finish talking to reflect how his smile is real, clearly amused by the appearance of my nerves.

"I also don't go out much, unless with friends... so the situation may be mutual..." he tries to reassure me before my eyes drop down to the laminate menu. "By the way... just because I'm vegan doesn't mean I expect you to be," he says after another few moments and I nod silently, my eyes transfixed on the options for food in front of me.

"That's very good because I've tried to be vegetarian before and totally failed," I tell him with an apologetic grin, sitting up when I do as I suddenly feel more comfortable. "Also the situation is not mutual because, at the very least, we both know you're cool. Even if for tonight you don't seem like it," I hear myself teasing him lightly, surprised where that came from.

"You do far more for the world than I do. In my eyes, you're the rockstar," he responds quickly, without a moment's pause as my cheeks go bright red. Before I can respond, the old Japanese man has returned for our orders. Lewis motions for me to go first and then follows my order with one of his own, both of us opting to just have some water. "You can get a proper drink if you want?" He offers, leaning forward and clasping his hands as the old man walks away with shouts being directed towards the kitchen in fluent Japanese to make up for how slowly he is making his way to the destination.

"I feel like I'm about to make a mess of this at any second. I would rather not add fuel to the inevitable fire and alcohol would only increase the chances of tom-foolery," I tell him and he laughs at the old-timey speak, almost proving my point. "So... why here? I would say you just googled something close but the host seems familiar to you?" I poke and he nods, playing with the glass of water as he takes another chance to look around, a warm look on his face forming as he does.