He smirked and nodded his head, not entirely relating himself to the situation she described but understanding how it could be difficult. It got him thinking for a moment if he had ever done that to someone as socializing and conversations always came easy to him, but landing on believing that he was too aware to do such a thing. “Well that’s just messed up, even if there is no ill-intent behind it. I would never leave someone stranded like that. I guess I’m usually the person who eases others and gets them out of their shell so to speak.” He smiled at her, leaning forward on the table to close the space between them slightly as they spoke more in-depth about things.

Ryan chuckled softly at her remark about Beverly Hills and knowing that she wasn’t entirely wrong with her vision of it. “Yeah, it’s a pretty posh neighborhood. It has to be because the amount of money I paid for that house is a little ridiculous.” He remarked with a scoff, shaking his head. He enjoyed the finer things in life and thought he worked hard in his career to earn them, but he was not showoffy about it most of the time. Ryan listened carefully to her as she spoke, he was the type of person that if someone was talking to him they had his undivided attention throughout. That’s why when he meet with someone he would avoid searching them online because he wanted to hear their story face to face. “That’s quite the cultural change I’d say, regardless of how you look at it. I’m really sorry about your mom. I know it’s been years, but that’s a hard loss,” he paused for a moment, thinking about his own mother passing away three years ago. It was something that nobody in the industry knew about and had somehow not leaked to the press. It was something he held close to heart. “Santa Barbara is beautiful though, I love that area.” He laughed as she spoke so excitedly about Korea. He had a strong fondness in finding connections with people of different cultures and backgrounds, it was fascinating for him to expand his knowledge.

“Trust me, not many people have been to Montana. It’s like the third least populated state in the country. We don’t even have an arena I think.” He said with a chuckle, pulling his hair back. “Montana is stunning, in my bias opinion. I’ve had my property out there since 2011 and I love it. It’s very woodsy, a lot of natural all around you. I have the Yellowstone river flowing my backyard. It’s just very peaceful. It’s an excellent place to disconnect from everything.”

“That could very well happen! Outside of Montana, I have a tough time sort of staying still for an extended time. I like venturing out and exploring new areas. Laguna Beach or Santa Barbara sound like possible future choices. Just let me know when I can be your neighbor.” He added with a matching wink and laugh. It was a relief to him that just a short while into their conversation things were flowing so organically. Ryan looks down again for a moment, nodding his head as she speaks about her mother. “That kind of lose is difficult, there’s really no replacing a parental figure.” He knew he would bring up his own loss eventually if their connection continued down the line but for now he chose to keep it to himself. “I’m certain she’d be extremely proud of you. Those aren’t the easiest of circumstances and yet here you, making music for a living. That’s special.” He smiled at her, knowing it was a heavy subject to talk about but he was glad that she had no trouble in sharing such an intimate fact with him.

Ryan chuckled along at her story, bringing his hands down to rest on the table as he tilted his head slightly while looking at her. “You know, I could see you as a Suzy actually.” He added jokingly, clearing his throat. “You got yourself a deal, Serenity. You be my Korean tour guide and I will show you around Montana. I’ll say one of them will be a lot more exciting than the other, but I’ll do my best to take you to the hidden gems in my area.” He was a little surprise that they were already talking about the future prospect of showing each other around areas that were close to them, but he didn’t mind it. “You know how to chop firewood? Shit. I’m impressed. I’ve had a fireplace for nearly a decade and I barely use it because I’m awful at chopping firewood. I typically just buy it.” He chuckled softly, smiling wide as he looked over at her. There was a certain sense of comfort in talking to her.

Before their conversation could continue, the waiter finally appears and greets them before asking for their respective orders. “I’ll take a Manhattan for myself and I have a question for you,” he pauses and deters his eyes away from him to look at Serenity, “do you guys have soju?” The waiter confirms that they did as Ryan smiles and looks back at him. “Bring a small bottle of that out with two shot glasses too, please. Along with whatever my lovely companion here wants.”

He chuckled at her remark. It was a bit wild that they were already talking about all these things that perhaps took time for most to discuss and plan out. “We don’t have to follow that particular norm. We are lucky enough to have the freedom to write our own story however we like. I’m certainly not knocking future dinners and movie nights that may come between us, but why not just say fuck it and be spontaneous? I’m not opposed to that.” He stated a bit jokingly as he shrugged his board shoulders with a grin perking at the corner of his lips. He had followed the typical dating structure that most people were used to and clearly none of those relationships worked for him, so now he was at a point where he didn’t mind being open to new prospects and experiences, in fact he welcomed them. “Is that so? You have some culinary talents? I’m not a master in the kitchen but I’ve learned how to make some dishes pretty well. I do have to bring you out to Montana because I live like forty minutes outside town, so it’s typically just easier to cook at home than go out to eat. I’ll get to see your wood chopping and cooking skills first hand.” He remarked with a smile. He didn’t want to think too far ahead but it was a definite plus that she was not opposed to the non-city life. A part of him would always be a city kid, but he had found the ease and comfort of the wilderness to be to his liking at this point in his life.

Once the waiter walks away with their drink orders, Ryan smiles and returns his gaze to Serenity. “I’ll admit this will just be my second experience with soju. The first time was while I was in Korea after I performed there. We all went to this traditional hole in the wall bar, nobody spoke English and we all only knew how to say hello and thank you in Korean. They just kept bringing us bottles of soju by the handful, one after another. I really don’t remember anything between being at the bar and getting on the plane back home the next day.” He said with a laugh, thinking back to that time. “Hopefully tonight goes slightly different than that because I don’t want to forget the company I’m with.” He commented with a grin and raised eyebrow, taking off his jacket and placing it beside him as he got himself more comfortable.

“I’m more than happy to try some home cooked Korean dishes. Again, my experience with Korean culture overall is limited to the few times I’ve been on tour over there. I’m not just some white guy who needs his good ol’ American food to be happy, you know.” He commented jokingly with a laugh. “The perfect omelette and a cookbook worthy french toast? Well, sounds like we may have to have a sleepover soon so I can experience this incredible breakfast you speak of.” Ryan raised his eyebrow and chuckled. He laughed when she brought up the outfit she thought she would need to pull out for Montana. “It is not a requirement, but you’d fit right in with the locals if you wore a cowboy hat and boots. I would absolutely love to see that. I’m sure you could pull it off with ease.”

Ryan listened carefully as she explained the drinking culture in Korea. “If drinking is the norm, then I’m already off to a good start when it comes to assimilating with the culture. Ideally, I just don’t want to make an ass of myself, so I’m glad you can teach me the ways. I have a great deal of respect for things like that. When I’m in a new country I don’t want to assume that I know better than anyone.” Before he could continue on, the waiter came back with their respective drink orders, placing them carefully before them while putting down the soju bottle and shot glasses at the center of the table. “Thank you,” he said softly as the waiter backtracked away to leave them alone once again. “I think it is only fair I let you do the honors with the soju, so I won’t touch that.” He said chuckling. He picked up his cocktail and brought it up carefully across the table. “Cheers to... shall we just call this our first official date?”

He laughs at her proposed idea for their ‘sleepover.’ “That’s not exactly what I had in mind for a night in together, but I’m sure we can work out some kind of compromise.” He grinned while running a hand through his hair. It was no secret that he enjoyed sex. He had certain songs under his name that were very sexually charged. But he was no longer trying to just score a one night stand and moving on. Ideally he wanted to have that aspect while at the same time also building a connection with someone.

He nodded his head with a smile as she agreed to their cheers for a first date, taking a sip of his own drink savoring it for a moment. Ryan listened closely as she explained the details and customs for drinking in Korea. It was a lot of information at once but he understood the importance of it, even if they were not in the country, to follow it and respect it. “Well it sounds like a constant reminder that I’m old, but I guess the whole elder respect makes me feel wise beyond my years.” He said with a soft chuckle before taking the soju bottle in both hands and pouring a shot for Serenity. “So, since there is nobody at the table older than me, do I pour my own drink?” He questioned aloud while looking over at her as he tried to follow the tradition to a tee. “You don’t have to worry about me sipping a shot. It will go back very quickly. It’s from years of wisdom and twenty plus years of drinking as a hobby.” He explained with a smirk, leaning forward in his seat. He was very curious in learning more about not just Korea, but overall about Serenity and what made her unique. Aside from any physical attributes, the best way to capture his attention was getting him invested in the conversation which she was succeeding in thus far this evening. He was long-winded and he liked to be challenged intellectually.

“I guess we shall see what kind of night the soju gives us.” He said in his usual suave tone, running a hand over his stubble, a sly smirk on his lips. He was never going to turn down a good time if it came by, that much of his known reputation held true and he wasn’t exactly shy about it.

He grinned and raised an eyebrow as she stated that they could possibly be drinking buddies. Ryan enjoyed drinking and didn’t make a secret about it. He was not an alcoholic, but he held a high appreciation for liquor having a full bar at his home that could rival an actual pub and a wine collection in his basement that was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. “I will never turn down the opportunity to have a few drinks with a beautiful woman.” He responded with a soft smile. “You know, this whole respecting your elder thing will take a bit for me to get used to. I just feel like I keep being reminded that I’m old.” He said with a laugh as he poured himself a shot with both hands as well before setting the bottle down. “You’ll have to show me some of those drinking games because most of the ones I know can’t be played in a public setting. They all involve the removal of clothing or certain acts that may be frowned upon by others in a crowd.” Ryan titled his head and chuckled, finally taking his own shot glass in his hands and gazing at her with a smirk. “So, now are we allowed to drink?”

One of the things that Ryan found sexiest in a woman was confidence. He felt like the appeal of fixing somebody who was 'broken' had waned over the years, albeit that was a bit selfish of him as he had a lot of problems and demons that he would have to explain to any future serious partner. "Oh, trust me. I am certainly not taking the company I'm with for granted right now." He smirked, biting a corner of his bottom lip slightly. "Drink until your liver shuts down? Now that just sounds like my typical night out, so I guess I'm usually winning that game already." He smiled at her cheers before downing her glass of soju, gazing down for a second and nodding his head in agreement. "I can say the same, cheers to that." He downs his own cup, exhaling out of his mouth as the liquor goes down his windpipe. "Ah, that lovely burn," he states with a laugh, taking a sip of his cocktail that somehow serves as a chaser right now. "I'll have to show some of those drinking games I know, probably in a more intimate setting." He suggested with a small grin, a hand resting on his glass.

"So, if I'm being completely honest right now, if this is in fact a date... I haven't been on one of these in a traditional sense in a very long time." He knew the words coming out of his mouth could be taken as a surprise or even a straight up lie by some given his reputation, but it was an attempt to be open and honest from him which he has struggled with in the past.

"Ah, a hangover just means you've exercised this drinking hobby to the fullest extent. I feel like a hangover can kill me, but it never does. Twenty years in and I'm still kicking, baby." Ryan grinned, enjoying the general carefree and energetic vibe that radiated off her. It didn't seem like anything was off the table for her and he liked that. It kept him on his toes. "I'll need to test out some of these remedies you have for a hangover though, because I have yet to find one that works for me. In doing so though, we must drink a lot more tonight. How terrible." He remarks sarcastically, tipping his glass over to her with a sly smirk.

"Ha, funny enough it's been about 3 years for me too." He was surprised to learn that both were on the same boat when it came to how long they haven't dated. That wasn't to say that it had been as long since he last had sex because he would have likely lost his mind if that were the case. He takes another sip from his glass, having just a small amount of liquid left in it. "If I may ask, what kept you out of the dating scene for so long? I'm sure it's not a lack of suitors." He asked her, genuinely curious to hear the answer given the fact that she was beautiful and in her twenties, what he would consider the prime time to date around.

"Yeah, hard to believe coming from me, huh?" He responded soon after with a chuckle. He listened to her explain why she had not dated in so long, able to relate where she was coming from. "There's definitely nothing wrong with having standards you want met or taking time for yourself. You know what you deserve and enjoy, why settle for less?" He smirked, that trademark sly smirk that was either punchable or a charm depending on who you asked.

He thought for a moment when she asked his reasonings for being out of the dating game for so long. "It honestly felt like I was stuck in this space where I was dating nonstop. It's been like four or five years since my last serious relationship and after that I felt like I had this sort of ticking clock in my head where I needed to find someone before I hit forty. For whatever reason I had this mindset that once I was forty, that was it. I was destined to be alone forever if I was not in a committed relationship," he paused for a moment and chuckled before continuing on with his stream of consciousness, "so about three years ago I was having dates scheduled four or five times a week. It wasn't even with women I liked most of the time, it was just trying to have a connection click and go from there. I was exhausted because it made dating not fun anymore. I wasn't doing it for the right reasons. I just felt very selfish trying to force a connection. I needed a break from it." He explained, realizing that this was the first time that he had actually opened about that. "I also needed time to get away from all the noise. I was dealing with some pretty bad anxiety and all these other things happening in my life. I only wanted to go back to making music. I got a little sick of seeing my face in places." He scoffed softly, running a hand through his pitch black hair.

Ryan grabbed her empty shot glass and filled it up with soju, following the tradition to do so as Serenity explained to him earlier. "In the spirit of honesty, I'm glad we were able to cross paths at the FCAs and get to this point. I'm no longer in the business of overthinking or looking too far ahead, I'm just happy to be here with you." He said with a smile, just as the waiter came back to check on them. "Umm, I'll take a whiskey sour this time, please."

Ryan nodded his head as he heard her speak, all valid points she was making. It felt as if their connection got slightly stronger given the fact that they both are in similar places from their recent lack of dating to their overall current mentality on it. The fifteen year age gap was not something that seemed that relevant, although that was something that truly never crossed his mind when he was seeing someone. “There are just these unrealistic expectations set for people that adds all this pressure to dating. All these unwritten rules that you must follow. I say, fuck that. If this was going terribly I rather you just tell me and we both move on.” He shrugged, cracking a small grin, getting the feeling that this was going rather well for both of them.

“Yeah, exactly. It is a bit ridiculous forcing yourself into that headspace to follow the norms. It’s almost like it’s a crime to be single.” He chuckled and rolled his eyes. He had plenty of friends who were married and had kids, which was fine as long as it worked for them. Ryan never saw himself as that person, at least not yet. He didn’t want to be a bachelor for the rest of his life, but he was also in no rush to get married regardless of his age. He still felt young despite the gray hairs he finds on his head every now and then.

Ryan nodded his head and smiled hearing her talk about their chance run in backstage at the award show. “I say cheers to that.” He remarked and raised his glass up to kick back another shot of soju. “It’s interesting because I was so caught up in my own world, so focused on the performance, I didn’t even walk the carpet or go to any afterparty. Yet, I so clearly remember seeing you.” He hated the saying that everything happened for a reason, but this may ring true with that. Did he expect to be sitting across Serenity a month ago? Of course not. And without that meeting, it may have never happened.