Seems like a good half-way point. [It's the most logical answer even if Hiro doesn't understand the reasoning behind it. He doesn't know what Jason's been up to beyond what he's been told and he doesn't know, exactly, how this tavern acts as almost a safe haven for shardbearers who need to pretend to be shardless. Instead he knows that Jason's been here a lot recently, enough to build rapport with the occupants of the tavern.]

Uh...[He stops then, rubbing the back of his neck and dropping his eyes to the countertop.] I got your messages. I know you said you were out but I went to Ariadne's last night anyway and waited. [Stupid, stupid, stupid.] And then you didn't show up so I was gonna go back to Spire 10 but the fairy rings are busted.

['So...I've been walking from Spire 3 back out to the mountains, got lost, and happened to show up here.' That should be obvious without him saying.]