[His expression softens and he runs his finger along the binding of the Asian one. He hadn't missed that it was in a script he couldn't read, or that he would need someone to translate it if he ever hoped to understand, or that Zhao is one of two people he knows for sure could help with said translation]

That's not a bad idea. I tend to live in my head a lot, so having company would be good for me. Especially if that company was a little snarky and could keep up with some teasing banter.

[Why doesn't he just come out and say it? Because it's a game, a chase, a challenge. He doesn't really know which of them is the one running and which is trying to catch, but maybe they'll somehow crash into each other? He'll keep navigating this winding path a while longer, in any case]