Liam Payne should know better: One Direction fans are not in a joking mood at the moment.
Just hours after Zayn Malik quit the group, sending followers into a frantic online tizzy, Payne posted a photo of himself, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson posing with fans while on tour.
As you can see, the face of a certain ex-member is being covered up by Payne’s hand in the image:
Liam must have sensed this move would hit a nerve because he wrote as a caption to the picture: "#makinglightofasituation sorry for the laughs guys."
And then once it was clear One Direction fans really were upset over the perceived Zayn Malik slight, Payne followed up on Twitter with:
"Some people can’t take a joke … Bit of banter guys chill out."
It’s just too soon, Liam. Way too soon.
Fans need time to process Malik’s departure, which comes on the heels of Perrie Edwards cheating rumors and which Malik confirmed via the following statement:
My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band.
I’d like to apologize to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall.
I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.