One Direction fans on Liam Payne's death: 'Not the reunion we asked for’

One Direction has finally broken their silence after the untimely death of band member Liam Payne, sharing a joint statement from Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson.

Zayn Malik, a former member who left the band in 2015, a year before the group entered an indefinite hiatus in 2016, also joined the touching tribute posted on the official One Direction Instagram.

"We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing," the statement read, adding that the members are taking time to "grieve and process the loss of our brother."

They concluded with heartfelt words, "We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam," before signing off with, "Louis, Zayn, Niall, and Harry."

Fans of One Direction, who had long yearned for a 1D reunion, were equally shocked by the news of Liam's death.

"Not the kind of reunion we asked for…" one fan expressed sorrow.

"The last post in 2020 was about a concert with all five of them, and now the last post in 2024 is about the death of a beloved friend," another reflected on the bittersweet nature of their memories.

"I’m gonna cry; I imagined seeing the boys getting together for a concert, not for a funeral. You made my adolescence," echoed a third fan, capturing the sentiment shared by millions.

One Direction formed in 2010 during auditions for The X Factor and quickly became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.

They enjoyed a hugely successful run with multiple albums tours and hits, including Steal My Girl, Night Changes, Story of My Life, Perfect, History, before announcing their hiatus in 2016 to pursue solo careers.