I (23F) need some advice regarding my boyfriend (23M). We've been together for almost 9 years and are currently in a long-distance relationship.

ears ago, I gifted my boyfriend a photo frame of the two of us. Back when he lived in a shared hostel room, whenever I asked why he didn't keep the frame on display, he would say he shared the room and felt a little uncomfortable keeping it out. I understood that.

But now he has a room all to himself, and even after so many conversations and arguments about how much this hurt me, he still keeps the frame hidden inside his cupboard instead of displaying it.

Today, while we were on a call, I asked him to give me an honest reason why he still doesn't keep it out. He finally said he was worried that his friends might make fun of him.

That honestly broke my heart.

After being together for almost 9 years, I never expected my partner to think that way. I always believed that when you truly love someone, you don't care what other people think. I thought choosing your person over the opinions of others was just... natural.

What he said has really hurt me, and I can't stop thinking about it.

So I genuinely want to ask—especially the guys here—is this a normal way of thinking? Do some guys actually avoid displaying things like couple photos because they're worried about being teased by their friends? Or is it reasonable for me to feel hurt by this?

TL;DR: I (23F) gifted my boyfriend (23M) a photo frame of us years ago. He used to say he didn't display it because he shared a room, but now he has his own room and still keeps it hidden. He admitted it's because he's worried his friends will make fun of him. After nearly 9 years together, I'm deeply hurt and wondering if this is normal for guys or if my feelings are justified.