In Kabul, before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the well-off teenager Amir and his very loyal servant Hazara Hassan (the son of his father's servant Ali) are best friends. Amir goes to school, but Hassan does not; therefore, he cannot read. Amir loves literature and reads stories to Hassan. His father Baba (a Persian term similar to "daddy" in English) thinks he is not tough enough, Amir lets Hassan protect him when he is being bullied. Amir fears that Baba won't love him because Amir's mother died giving birth to him. Amir also writes a story himself. Amir's father is not very interested, but his friend Rahim Khan reads it and encourages him. One day, Hassan and Amir meet Assef, a tyrant with a grudge against the Hazaras, and his two friends. He prepares to fight Amir and Hassan, but Hassan threatens him with his slingshot. They step back but Assef warns them that he will take revenge. Amir and Hassan like kite fights. It is a popular sport in Kabul, in which lines are coated with a mixture of finely ground glass and glue, to cut a competitor's line. In competition, whoever catches a kite with a cut line can keep it. That’s why kids run for them. Hassan is Amir's "kite runner". He seems to have a knack for knowing where they're going to land. Amir wins a tournament. Hassan retrieves the kite that Amir cut, but comes across Assef and his two henchmen. Assef demands the kite, but Hassan refuses to give it back. This is why Assef hits him. The film briefly shows Assef's pants buckle undone and Hassan's pants pulled down, suggesting that a sexual assault ensues. While looking for Hassan, Amir approaches this scene, and hiding, observes the assault. He doesn't defend Hassan or call for help. Amir and Hassan never tell anyone what happened or talk about it among themselves. When Amir returns home, he is finally congratulated by Baba for winning the tournament, but Amir realizes that the opposite would have been the case if Baba had known what had happened. Both Amir and Hassan become emotionally depressed. Amir feels guilty for being a coward, realizing that Hassan was brave; if Baba knew what happened, he might love Hassan more than him. Amir decides it would be best for Hassan to leave.