So. I replayed the game but actually read the content again instead of skipping about assuming I remembered it and my opinion on Maya/Josy has softened quite a bit. I would still choose the friendship route but I don't actively have an issue with them anymore. I think I was forgetting two massive things. Firstly, whilst I control the MC's choices his emotions and reasoning are his own. He's just as much a character in this story as any of the LI with his own personality and feelings. He is not an avatar for my personality and emotions. My choices are his, My feelings and justifications are not.
Secondly, all the Episodes so far take place over ~2 weeks. I've been attributing much more emotional connection between MC and Maya/Josy than the story would indicate. My problem was always "inconsistency" between everyone's feelings and their actions but really it was largely inconsistencies between feelings I've assumed on MC and the actual story. I've always treated the story thus far as Maya/Josy basically cheating on the MC by staying together in Ep4. That he had deep romantic feelings for them and the lying and choosing each other was a betrayal. Playing it through I now believe it was just what he said. A crush. A desire to date them and get to know them. They are sprouting deeper feelings in Ep5 but up to Ep4 things are surprisingly casual from his perspective and the need for the "sex" part of this adult VN creates a lot more casual sex I attributed to deeper emotions. A lot of it was just sex. At the end of the day he's known Maya for less than a fortnight and barely spoke to Josy before the date in EP1 and barely talks to her throughout the game. These are just hot girls he has a crush on not romantic love or relationships. Conversely Maya/Josy are actually in love and being this apprehensive about pursuing a crush is much more logical. Don't get me wrong, I think they're more invested than the MC is but this isn't as incongruous as I thought.
I now believe the whole outrage in Ep4 was exactly what it says on the tin. He was pissed off at the lying. It makes some level of sense whereas before I was hung up on my own idea he was falling for these girls and they betrayed him. That in Ep4 he basically broke up with them only to forgive them and start the relationship back up which is stupid. Now I think it was more all this time he's had an intention to date them (a crush), they lied so he was annoyed but come the Ep4 finale he's forgiven the lies because he does like them and gone back to giving them a chance at dating with no hard feelings. Now I personally wouldn't date them because they cheated to be with MC as a fling, "If they'll cheat with you, they'll cheat on you" is my motto, but I understand why come Ep5 they're now just dating rather than in a committed relationship.
Basically I think people need to put more stock into the MC's actual declared emotions (stuff like his discussion with Derek at the fridge if you're friends where he says he is happy for them, he isn't a home wreaker and understands their choice) rather than inserting their own feelings (and I am guilty as fuck for doing this). Just because I'm a sap who falls into limerence at a glance doesn't mean MC is. He could be casually dating all these women and having all this casual sex because currently he's know these girls for barely 10 days and he's just getting to know them.
