Zayn Malik acknowledges past issues with Liam Payne after 1D member's death

Zayn Malik acknowledged his complicated relationship with Liam Payne in a heartfelt tribute following the tragic death of his former One Direction bandmate.

In an emotional Instagram post on Thursday, October 17, Malik, 31, expressed that he is "beyond devastated" by Payne's passing and fondly reminisced about their time together in the band.

While the Dusk till Dawn hitmaker recalled moments when Payne, 31, supported him through his "most difficult times," he also noted that they had their share of conflicts.

"You were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f--- about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, [laughing emoji] I always respected you for it," he wrote.

"I lost a brother when you left us, and I can’t explain what I would give to just hug you one last time and say goodbye properly," Malik added, signing off with, "Love you, bro."

Malik and the Teardrops maker were members of One Direction from the band's formation in 2010 until the Pillowtalk singer's departure in 2015.

A year later, the band announced an indefinite hiatus, allowing the members to pursue solo careers.

In a 2022 interview with Logan Paul, Payne, who passed away on Wednesday, October 16, recounted an altercation with a bandmate but kept the identity of the member confidential at the time.

However, Payne's ex-girlfriend, Maya Henry, later revealed that the bandmate in question was Malik.

With Payne's passing, Malik now treasure only their cherished memories, as highlighted in his emotional tribute.