Noooo? You can absolutely tell someone you like them if you like like them romantically. Or at least you could back when I was in school. Maybe the kids these days are more direct.
Certainly if your buddy nudges you and asks if you like a girl you know he doesn't mean the same way you might like ice cream
Is this Komi-san all over again? Teach people all the wrong things? I guess this is a language thing but it sounds hella toxic that way. The unicorn's character is toxic in general though.