In the novel, "The Kite Runner," author Khaled Hosseini reveals the depths of love, faith, and betrayal between two people. Amir is the son of a rich man who lives with his father in a wealthy neighborhood in Kabul. Hassan is a Hazara servant boy who has developed a friendship with Amir. As the two kids growing up together, Amir and Hassan like doing everything together. Amir lacks of courage, and as a kid, he never stood up neither for himself nor for anyone else. In contrast, Hassan has always been loyal to Amir, and had never hesitated to defend him from other people. Once Hassan dead, Amir will redeem himself by saving Hassan's son.
As a kid, Amir Jan is a coward who lacks courage. In contrast, Hassan is loyal because he stands up to defend people he loves. In one case, while Amir and Hassan were having fun in their neighborhood, Assef and his friends came toward them. Assef was the son of one of Baba's friends, an airline pilot. Assef has started yelling at Amir that he shouldn't be friends with a Hazara boy because they are reduced to be servants for the Pashtuns, the pure Afghans. Moreover, Amir shouldn't let Hassan touch him neither play with him. Right before Assef was about to hurt Amir, Hassan stood up quickly holding a slingshot that he has pointed directly at Assef's face. Assef has smiled, and said: "Maybe you didn't notice, but there are three of us and two of you" (p.42). Even though Hassan was scared, he has replied to Assef that "You are right, Agha. But perhaps you didn't notice that I'm the one holding the slingshot. If you make a move, they'll have to change your nickname from Assef 'the Ear Eater' to 'One-Eyed Assef,' because I have this rock pointed at your left eye." This shows the loyalty of Hassan to defend a friend that he loves. However, Amir never stood up to defend Hassan back. .
Right after Amir has won the tournament of the kite runners, he went looking for Hassan.