Don't you just hate it when your dreams might be telling you something you don't want to hear? That's what Sayo Hoshikawa is afraid is happening to him. Despite his surface-level anger at his classmate Mashiba for things like “being tall” and “girls confessing to him,” it's hard to deny that many, if not most, of Sayo's thoughts are focused on the other boy. But he can handle that. What he can't wrap his head around is the fact that lately he's been having dreams about Mashiba, dreams where Mashiba holds him in bed and kisses him – dreams that feel just a little too real. If the subconscious is where things we can't admit to thinking or feeling in our waking lives come out, Sayo may be in a lot of trouble.

Thus begins Michelle's BL series Be My Worst Nightmare!. It's less an enemies-to-lovers story than its title suggests, and it's also a little light on the plot, even for a fluffy romance story. The basic thrust of the plot is simply that Sayo is visiting Mashiba in his dreams, eventually figuring out what that odd stuffed cat you see on the cover has to do with it, and beginning to question his feelings even as he realizes that Mashiba really likes him. It's a perfectly acceptable plot, but something about the way it's played out makes it feel thinner than it ought to.

Possibly this comes down to the way the point of view is narrowly focused on Sayo. He's not a bad character, but he is one without much depth. His entire personality as presented in this volume is about disliking Mashiba, something even his friend in class notices. If he could be said to have another facet to his being, it would be that he's short, and even putting these two elements together leaves him remarkably shallow, even for a romantic comedy, which this aspires to be. It isn't bad, but it isn't as good as it could be.

The most interesting piece of the story is how, precisely, Sayo ends up in Mashiba's room every night. Mashiba doesn't appear to be aware that he's actually touching the real Sayo, but Sayo can unquestionably feel and hear everything Mashiba is doing, which hints at something supernatural. While we do eventually find out the answer to that question, we still don't know why it's happening or how Sayo is able to pull it off, a mystery that's almost more intriguing than the romance. Since Sayo's fixation on Mashiba is so strong, there's a definite suggestion that it's his feelings allowing the phenomenon to occur, especially when paired with what seem to be equally strong emotions on Mashiba's side, albeit more recognized and accepted feelings. Is it a sign of mutual affection that Sayo can't bring himself to acknowledge? Or is the strength of the emotions enough to make the phenomenon happen? There's also the possibility that the universe at large is trying to force Sayo to recognize that what he feels isn't hate, and that leans into a fate angle that could be rewarding in volume two.

As the book goes on, it also becomes clear that Mashiba may not have the best family life, which could also be a factor. His generally stoic demeanor may be learned rather than natural, a way to protect himself, and as a queer kid in high school, he may need that extra layer between himself and the world. We don't know if the story's setting is homophobic; Sayo doesn't appear to be, he's more confused than anything. But Mashiba's stoic qualities hold the unfolding plot back a bit, making it difficult to fully invest in the story and the romance because we don't know what he's thinking most of the time. It doesn't help that Sayo is one of those characters who are loud even on paper; in many ways, he overwhelms Mashiba's presence with his own.

Still, this isn't without its merits. Despite an abundance of screen tones, the art is easy to read and attractive, and the censorship isn't terrible, although it is present. The Mashiba family element introduced towards the end of the book is frankly more interesting than what's come before it. As Sayo calms down a bit, the overall story becomes more enjoyable. There is one scene of dubious consent where Mashiba “helps” Sayo with an erection so be aware of that going in.

Be My Worst Nightmare!'s first volume isn't terrific, but it is good enough that I'm curious to pick up volume two. The close focus on Sayo undermines the story a bit, and I don't love the dub-con scene in the middle of the volume, but Mashiba's family situation could help turn things around. This wouldn't be my first recommendation for high school-set, moderately explicit BL, but I also wouldn't universally tell you to steer clear.