Chapter Text
“Welcome, to the adventure of the past destined to return by technology of the future. Just imagine! You will soon stand in the midst of creatures once thought to be forever extinct— creatures that have stood the test of time thanks to the efforts of our top tier researchers and brilliant scientists. Our team is lucky to have you— yes, you— join in our mission to share with the world the miracle that is the rehabilitation of dinosaurs!”
Yang Jeongin fought against the heaviness that weighed upon his eyelids as he stared drearily up at the monitor embedded into the seat in front of him. The rocking movement of the waves against the passenger ferry he currently inhabited did nothing to quell his exhaustion. He clutched his greenish, camouflage backpack closely to his chest and tried to straighten his posture, extending his neck upward, only to slouch back into his seat when he realized his efforts to reach the headrest were futile. His mom had told him that the pattern of his backpack would help him blend into his surroundings when he went exploring with Uncle Minho, but Jeongin thought that plan was not thought out well enough as he donned a bright blue Doraemon shirt and firetruck red overalls. Jeongin’s fashion choices as of late weren’t the most discrete, but then again, he was only six years old. He huffed, swinging his stubby legs back and forth, watching as the LED lights in his shoes twinkled with every foot tap he made against the seat in front of him. Now, this was interesting— much more interesting than the boring lady on the screen who wouldn’t stop rambling about computers and reptile eggs.
“Excuse me!”
Jeongin was knocked out of his light-induced stupor when he glanced up at the woman who was sitting in the seat in front of him, her face now hovering above the screen, her brow pinched as if barely containing her anger. Jeongin froze, holding his backpack even tighter and squeezing the paw of Foxiny, his stuffed fox that had been dangling loosely from his clutch from the moment he boarded the ferry.
“If you would stop kicking my seat,” the woman griped, blowing a strand of black hair from her bugged eyes, “I would greatly appreciate it.”
Jeongin winced before bowing slightly from his seat and muttering a timid apology which seemed to appease the woman, who sat back down without another word. Jeongin released a breath, staring back up at the screen.
“As you begin to prepare for your journey,” the woman continued cheerily, “we would like to share with you just how this park came to be. So sit back, enjoy the ride, and put on your learning caps, friends! We’re about to see how our team advanced into the next generation of dinosaur-driven experiences with the creation of, you guessed it, Cretaceous Isle!”
A few other passengers sitting around Jeongin let out hollers of excitement that jolted him from the drowsy spell that the informant on the screen seemed to cast upon him once again. Jeongin was awoken just in time to notice the blonde-haired boy practically bouncing his way down the aisle only to plop into the seat directly next to him.
“Innie!” Lee Felix exclaimed, a grin stretched between his freckled cheeks, “I got ‘em!”
He had a dinosaur footprint shaped popsicle grasped in each fist, and he stuck out his left arm to eagerly urge Jeongin into accepting the dripping treat.
“Hurry, before it melts,” Felix added, and Jeongin snatched the popsicle from his hand, licking it eagerly with renewed vigor. As Jeongin attacked his popsicle, Felix turned his attention to his respective monitor. “Whatcha watchin’?” Felix asked, licking his own popsicle albeit at a slower pace.
“Some science lady,” Jeongin mumbled distractedly.
“Though our sister companies ultimately shut down permanently due to unforeseen circumstances, our need to witness these magnificent creatures alive and in person once again could not be ignored. So, our team here at Cretaceous Isle, nestled in the heart of the Ryukyu Islands, came up with a plan with two objectives in mind: bring back the dinosaur and prioritize the safety of our guests.”
Felix glanced back at Jeongin, who had finished his popsicle and lay slouched against the windowsill; he had insisted on taking the window seat when the two boys had first boarded. They had to be at least halfway through their boat trip from Jeju to the Isle, so their boat stared out at what appeared to be an endless expanse of blue. The younger boy tapped on the glass repeatedly with his finger. Felix poked his shoulder.
“Hey, don’t tap the glass like that, or we’ll make the other passengers angry,” Felix said, nervously scanning their surrounds to see if he had to apologize to anyone in their vicinity.
“Sorry, hyung,” Jeongin sighed, prompting Felix to pout. Jeongin had been sleepy and moody from the moment Felix reunited with him at the airport in Jeju after a year apart from one another. Though Felix lived in Australia with his parents year-round, he always looked forward to meeting with his younger cousin during his family’s annual visits to South Korea. With only a two year age gap, the boys only varied slightly in maturity, especially with Felix as an exceptionally chipper boy and Jeongin as a more subdued child. However, while Jeongin was calmer than most boys his age, he was still incredibly excitable around his friends and family, always grinning beautifully to show off his cheeky dimples. Jeongin’s exhausted, depressed aura was alarming to Felix, who had attempted to cheer up the boy from the moment he realized something was wrong. He even sacrificed his own allowance to purchase the boy a treat, but even the temporary happiness the popsicle provided began to fade. Felix poked Jeongin in the shoulder once more.
“She seems to be saying some pretty cool stuff,” Felix said, gesturing to the screens. Jeongin met him with a disinterested stare. “Just listen a bit more. We’re almost there, and then we’ll get to see Uncle Minho!”
Jeongin only turned away to stare out the window once more.
“… Decided that the prime location would be situated between Japan and South Korea, the countries we have to thank for sponsoring this ambitious endeavor. So, here we are today!” the woman continued on as pictures of tropical beaches and emerald mountains flashed onto the screen. “While we are located on an island for your safety, the Isle also provides the perfect habitat for our countless selection of herbivores! You heard me, folks! Only plant-eating, regionally native reptiles are allowed in this prehistoric oasis! From the gentle giant Pukyongosaurus to the tiniest Liaoningosaurus— phew, that’s a mouthful….“
“He wasn’t there,” Jeongin suddenly murmured, drawing Felix’s attention away from the corny video in front of them. “He promised he would be there this time, but he wasn’t.”
“Oh,” Felix responded, at a loss of words. He could instantly relate to his cousin, his thoughts shifting back toward the disappointment he had felt in the Jeju airport. Of course, he was elated to see Jeongin, but the pair had been expecting an additional presence that had failed to attend. “Uncle Minho is really busy a lot of the time. I’m sure he was doing some important boss stuff.” Jeongin still appeared wary. “Besides, maybe he’ll meet us at the docks when we get there! And he’ll show us all of the cool things he does, and we’ll go see loads of dinosaurs together and he’ll buy us all of the ice cream in the whole park!”
Jeongin’s eyes lit up as he excitedly grabbed at Foxiny. “You really think so?” Felix really couldn’t guarantee anything for Jeongin with physical evidence, but he truly trusted that their uncle wouldn’t abandon them. They were family after all.
“I know so!” Felix laughed, teasingly ruffling Jeongin’s brownish bowl cut. Jeongin groaned in complaint, slapping Felix’s hand away aggressively, but he quickly latched onto Felix’s khaki cargo pants, tugging the material with each hyper bounce he made in his seat.
“What else are we gonna do?” Jeongin pried, every trace of doubt washed away from his features at the words of his older cousin.
“Well,” Felix started, grinning with a distinct glimmer in his eye, “First he’ll give both of us the biggest hugs ever!”
“Bleh, boring,” complained Jeongin, his tone disgusted despite remaining intrigued with Felix’s vision.
“Hey! That’s not boring to me!”
“What’s next?” Jeongin urged, and Felix rubbed his temples, mimicking his mother’s habit as the situation proved to be an appropriate time to do so.
“Uncle Minho takes us to our penthouse, of course.”
“No way!” Jeongin screeched elatedly.
“Yep! But he wrangles a Gobisaurus to take us there! Not before the cotton candy, though….”
The two boys exchanged hypothetical yet enthusiastic scenarios for the remainder of the trip. The cousins’ renewed excitability only amplified when they reached the docks, patiently waiting in line with their backpacks, both boys bouncing on the balls of their feet.
“Please watch your step as you exit the ferry,” the “science lady” advised, straightening her lab coat in a convincingly professional manner. “It has been a pleasure traveling with you all, and it is my honor to welcome you to Cretaceous Isle.”