Thank you for your honest reply, AillaPNG!
Monika After Story makes total sense as an inspiration—it captured that intimate, eerie presence through the screen so well, and you recreated a similar resonance here.
I completely respect your decision to step back. Solo development is exhausting, and prioritizing real life is essential. Creating and releasing a complete 3 to 6-hour visual novel on your own is already a huge achievement to be proud of!
But here’s the main thing: pre-existing projects are 100% allowed in this jam! You don't need to translate it, update it, or do any extra work at all. You can simply submit your current page as it is. It takes two clicks, zero effort, and gives your work a bit more visibility while you take a well-deserved break.
(And if you ever want to get it translated into English later, posting on subreddits like r/translator or the itch.io community boards is usually a great way to find bilingual volunteers or collaborators).
No pressure at all, but your game is a great piece of work and it deserves to be seen. Wish you the absolute best for what’s next! ✨