It was perhaps a little early to be out drinking, but Shin didn't mind. It meant that the bar was comfortably busy - not so empty that he'd draw attention just by being there, but not so crowded that one couldn't find a quiet corner in which to enjoy one's drink. He made his way to the bar.
"What can I get you?" The bartender asked.
Shin always hated that question. He never knew quite how to answer, as his experience with alcohol was severely limited. He was familiar with the strong-smelling spirits that the servants at the temple had indulged in when their duties had been attended to, and with the sweet wine that smelled of dreams and spices and sinister things that the nobles preferred, but neither of those could be found anywhere outside of Fairy. (And besides, he had no idea if they were any good or not. Stone guardians didn't imbibe any sort of liquids.)
To pass in social situations, he'd memorized the name of a few decently priced beers in Beijing, but he doubted they had those here.
"Uhh. Just a beer." He replied when the silence had stretched on for an uncomfortably long period.
"What sort?" Asked the bartender. "We've got several on tap, as well as a wide selection of imports."
Shin blinked. "Ah." He managed, eyes darting over to the taps. He named the first label on the taps, then remembered some of the guys at work hassling one of their friends for his taste in the 'piss-poor excuse of a beer'. "Coors. No, wait... Something better. Miller, perhaps? No."
Thankfully, the bartender recognized his inexperience and smoothly saved him from further embarrassment. "We have an IPA from a local brewery that is quite good. Would you care to try it?"
"Yes." Shin said gratefully.
He waited while the bartender opened a bottle and poured the beer into a glass, then retreated to a quiet table at the back of the bar to nurse his beer and his wounded pride. It was a few moments before he remembered why he'd come here in the first place - to meet and speak with the other Lost of the Freehold, and in his rush he hadn't even though to look for them. He did so now, hoping that none of them had been seated close enough to the bar to overhear his little bout of social awkwardness.