And yet you spend a third of episode 5 in their company.
You can refuse to help Josy after meeting her and Maya at the party, and if you do you can skip three further scene's (the meeting with her Father, the aftermath of that meeting, and the picnic). Even if you don't kiss Jill you are stuck with the whole long visit at Bella's.
The question is, why can't you skip the time at Bella's house? It's either filler, which bodes ill for DPC's writing in future episode's, or you are stuck with them for some significant reason that will be revealed in the future. Even if you are not pursuing a relationship with either of them.
there are 5 LIs, spending a third of the time with two of them is perfectly average.
Who should you spend time with?
it is already strange that Sage disappears for practically the whole chapter
the mystery of Bella and her husband is sure to have an influence on MC regardless of his involvement with Bella.
I don't understand, however, why in a game where 5 girls are presented to you as possible soul mates, a player should want to avoid 2 or more of them absolutely when we are still one third of the way through.
to choose between them you have to know them, to know them you have to frequent them