Is One Direction Splitting Up For Good?

And it begins. On Wednesday morning, you might have noticed a despondent wail coming from the throat of your nearest direction when they saw the news that One Direction is splitting up for good. As it turns out, they totally lied to us about all this hiatus nonsense. This is no hiatus. They're just plain never coming back. Wait, hold on, wait. Before you curl into a ball of tears and start aggressive tweeting at the boys to comment on the rumors, I think we all need to take a deep breath and realize that we're going to hear this story many, many times over the course of the band's three-year hiatus. And, honestly, a band going on a hiatus results in them breaking up more often than not. However, that's no reason to believe that One Direction will go the way of Spice Girls and *NSYNC. And right now is definitely not the time to believe every story you hear.

Because the fact of the matter is that the hiatus has only just begun, and it's unlikely that whatever the boys are thinking in the first weeks are the reality for the rest of our lives. If they think this break is only temporary, then they could change their minds and then change them again over the next few years. If they're talking about making this break permanent, three years is plenty of time for them to miss this life and reconsider. So, to every One Direction fan out there who is an emotional wreck, keep calm and read these solid pieces of evidence for why One Direction isn't breaking up.

1. The Boys Straight Up Said They're Coming Back

It wasn't even that long ago that the boys all spoke up to promise their fans that this hiatus is just that — a hiatus. As in temporary. As in no one's splitting up. As in breathe.

2. They're Taking This Hiatus So They Don't Have To Split Up

The boys have been very candid about how necessary this hiatus is for their emotional and mental health. They've all dealt with a lot over the last year (how fast the night changes...), and they need some time apart to decompress and deal with those changes. If they were to try to stay together just to reassure the fans, they would break up for sure.

3. Rumors Of Solo Careers Were Already Disproven

How many times have we heard that Harry Styles was absolutely five seconds away from spinning off into a solo career? And then when a member of the band did go solo, it was... Zayn Malik. Yeah, I think we can all safely say that Styles' budding solo career isn't going to spell the end to the band. You know, because it's fictional.

4. A Long Break And A Split Are Not The Same Thing

Seriously, just look at Fall Out Boy. Their break lasted years, and they still came back. Three years is nothing.

5. Anyone Who Was Going To Leave Would Have Left Already

Anyone who was considering the solo career route probably would have followed Zayn Malik in his successful exit of the band if they were really that dedicated to it. He's done it, and fans (of Malik) have been very supportive, so what was stopping the other four from leaving too if they so desperately wanted to?

6. Harry Is The Second Least Likely To Pursue A Solo Career

Honestly, I would believe every member of One Direction wanted to leave except for Harry Styles. And he's second to Niall Horan. At worst, we're looking at a future in which Harry Styles and Niall Horan are the last remaining members of One Direction, and that's an unlikely future, honestly, because Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne are incredibly dedicated.

7. They Don't Even Need The Money Anymore

It's not like they need to be doing this, and haven't for years, so why are they still in the band if they don't love it? They're basically just in it for the art at this point. And for the camaraderie.

8. They Haven't Even Fully Gone On Hiatus Yet, Relax

As the Us Weekly article states, we still have an upcoming music video from the band to look forward to before we can truly say that the One Direction dry spell has begun. Let's let the hiatus commence in full before we start assuming this is the end.

One Direction is kind of a forever thing — or at least a thing that will follow all of its fans to adulthood. We have nothing to worry about. Yet.

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