Anthony Harvey/Getty ImagesThe last two of the remaining four One Direction members have broken their silence following fellow singer's Zayn Malik's shocking departure.
Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson took to Twitter on Thursday to signal that basically, the show must go on without him. Malik's departure, which was announced a day earlier via a message posted on 1D's Facebook page and amid the band's On the Road Again world tour, has shocked scores of fans of the boy band around the world and spurred trends such as #AlwaysInOurHeartsZaynMalik and #ZaynWillAlwaysBeAPartOf1D to trend on Twitter.
"Been a mad few days and your support has been incredible as per usual!" Horan tweeted. "This in turn spurs us on to make the best music we possibly can."
"Put on great shows / tours for you guys. You are the best fans in the world and you deserve nothing less from us!" he added.
"Been a crazy couple of days but know that we are going to work harder than ever to deliver the best album we've ever made for you guys!" Tomlinson (pictured above, right, with Malik) wrote on his Twitter page. "Your support has been incredible, truly incredible so thank you so much!"
One Direction will perform next in Johannesburg over the weekend.
"The lads and I arrived in South Africa this morning," Horan tweeted. "We cannot wait to see all you SA fans for the first time and have great shows."
Malik had said in a statement that he had left One Direction because he wants to be a "normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight." He called the remaining band members his "friends for life."
As of Thursday, Malik's Twitter handle, @zaynmalik1D, is still One Direction-branded.
Malik performed with One Direction for the last time in Hong Kong on March 18. On Wednesday, the day his departure was announced, the band took the stage without him in Jakarta, Indonesia. A video captured by a concertgoer shows Styles appearing to wipe away tears, although he does not speak.
He had tweeted on Wednesday, "All the love as always. H."
On March 19, One Direction's rep announced Malik was taking a hiatus from the group, citing stress. The news came amid rumors Malik cheated on fiancée Perrie Edwards, sparked by pics of him looking cozy with another girl in Thailand.
"I'm 22 years old... I love a girl named Perrie Edwards," Malik posted in response. "And there's a lot of jealous f--ks in this world I'm sorry for what it looks like x."
On March 23, two days before his exit was announced, band member Liam Payne posted a photo that shows all the 1D singers except Malik posing with fans and holding a poster of the group. Payne's hand is covering Malik's face.
"#makinglightofasituation sorry for the laughs guys," Payne tweeted.
Like his remaining band mates, he has not commented directly about Malik's departure. On Wednesday, he tweeted, "So glad to be in bed after a long and strange 24 hours."