Okay, because of all the comments complaining about it I actually went back and read the chapter again, and now I'm sure:
She did not say "...like." while her voice was covered by the sound of fireworks. If you check your panels, you'll find that she said it in the quiet just between two...
Empathising with an abuser doesn't mean that one agrees with the abuse. I can understand what drives "Okaa-san", but I don't think treating her daughter the way she has done is the right way to handle the situation. Taking your pain out on somebody else who is undeserving of it is easy, but...
This seems to be approaching some sort of critical mass.
If they don't admit their feelings for each other soon, the universe will buckle under the pressure and a great Oni will burst through the door (or possibly the landlady's daughter) and scream "Figure it out, you dolts!"
@princess_daphie I think you are the first person I have seen in an online comment thread to spell the expression "bated breath" correctly. You now have even more of my respect.
For some reason, the art in this manga reminds me of Yagate Kimi ni Naru. It's not the same, obviously, but there's something about how the artist captures scenery and the characters' motion that triggers an association.