Chapter 07 (Beast Complex)

The Chipmunk and the Black Bear is the seventh chapter of Beast Complex.

Synopsis
At an editorial company is tensions are high as the deadline is already hitting and a famed writer Ms. Fig hasn’t yet turned in her column. They decide to send a chipmunk named Ms. Jin to get the column from Ms. Fig. She tries to object as she has only been working there for a month but still ends up going.

On her way to Ms. Fig’s place she grabs some carrot cake with her. She arrives at the Hidden Condo where Ms. Fig is residing and knocks on her door. To her surprise an Asian black bear (named Bogue, appears in chapter 115 of Beastars) opens the door. As she asks about Ms. Fig’s whereabouts, but he tells her that he has run out of inspiration and she comes to the realization that the black bear is in fact Ms. Fig. He asks whether she’ll come in or leave.

She enters the apartment and tells him how she’s glad she got to meet “her”. She then asks how he can understand the feelings that female herbivores go through so well to which he explains that some middle-aged men just are capable of writing stories that appeal to females and that he’s possessed by an herbivore’s soul.

He then explains that rock bottom and doesn’t know what to do. He asks her to show him what real fear looks like and crouches over her scaring her. As he’s crouched over her, he begins writing on a piece of paper next to her and after finishing gets up. He reads his writing to her out loud and explains that what he just did was for mere inspiration.

Later Ms. Jin is sitting on a bench thinking whether he had done it for the sake of inspiration or if he had actually wanted to eat her. She gets up and leaves hoping for an explanation.