Messaging him seems like the best way to do it. But a brief meet-up might extend to something longer. If he dropped by unexpected, he could pass it off as a task he's doing in passing. In other words, a time limit could be set with his excuse. Shinji shuffles his feet, looking down. "... I'll do that."

It's a small lie. That's fine, right? It's not like the stranger will be affected. He glances up. "And I'm Ikari. Shinji Ikari." There's a pause before he tacks on a polite necessity: "It's nice to meet you."