Keita Ibuki

The main character. As a child, he and his mother met a person who looked exactly like her. The next day, she died. Years later, he is a struggling video game programmer. One day, at a ramen house, he met Kuro, offered her food and their story began there. He does not appear to be aware of Akane's feelings for him, though in an anime, he accepts Akane's feelings and marries her in the final episode. In the anime, Keita is portrayed as an ordinary high school student. Unlike his manga counterpart, he is neither extremely arrogant nor openly antagonistic of Kuro. He does not physically assault her either to express his displeasure and finally, unlike his manga counterpart, Kuro trades their hearts, not their arms, when forming a contract. He is a Sub (substitute) in the anime, while in the manga he is initially a typical human with two doppeliners out there, none of whom have met. After having two crests on his hands, he escaped the fate of dying after meeting his root. In the final episode, Keita is shown to have grandchildren and dies of old age after several decades have passed. Kuro thanks him and wishes him to rest in peace.