But why are you assuming that poly = "healthy poly" or "romantic poly"? In the same way a monogamous relationship can be "exclusive yet toxic" or "exclusive only to fulfill their needs with 0 feelings", poly can be "toxic poly" and "poly with no attachment whatsoever, just fulfilling their needs and it's not cheating because everyone knows about everyone else"
because saying he's poly sounds like he's approaching girls with the intent to be in that relationship with them when he's not. the girls are just a temporary thing for him to be with, not even considerable as a relationship in the first place. it's just like being friends with everybody. it's because people are labeling him as poly that's why they're saying he can't be with the mc when that's obviously false cause all this time he never felt anything for the girls and has always set a boundary to what he gelt for them vs with the mc. plus this is why i hate these definitions, people always put individualistic spins to them then the whole topic becomes convoluted cause everyone else has a different description for something...
I don't think he's poly. I myself am not a fan of poly but it's an insult to poly relationships to think whatever he has with his "girlfriends" is poly. he said it himself and some of the girls said it too - they're just using each other. he doesn't want to be lonely but he doesn't really love them like that, and some of the girls just wanna hang out with hot and handsome guys.