One Direction was the boy band for an entire generation. As with every era-defining group, though, a contentious breakup came in the aftermath of their success. Fans were forced to choose which 1D star was right and which was wrong.
Zayn Malik and Liam Payne were two of the most polarizing members during post-1D years. Payne's tragic death on October 17, however, has put things into perspective for Zayn Malik. Zayn, as well as Louis Tomlinson, took to social media to pay tribute to their former band member and "brother.
" Zayn Malik posted a photo of him and Payne during their One Direction days. The two teens appear to be leaning against each other while sleeping in a car. Zayn then delves into the complications and the tragic dynamics of his relationship with Payne.
"Even though you were younger than me," he wrote. "You were always more sensible than me. You were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f**ks about telling people when they were wrong.
" Zayn Malik then noted that he appreciated the ways in which Payne challenged him, even if he didn't show it in the moment. "Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it," he added. Read More: Liam Payne's Death Leads To Tributes From Juicy J, Ty Dolla Sign And More Zayn closed out his tribute to Liam Payne by referring to the late singer as his brother.
Through all of the adversity, the two men remain bonded. "[I] can’t explain to you," he concluded. "What I’d give to just giv.