Posted by MTV on Saturday, March 28, 2015

While the shocking news of Zayn Malik's departure from One Direction is still a gaping wound in the hearts of Directioners everywhere, we can't help but wonder how those who are close to the band feel about what happened. So it was interesting to get Ashton Irwin's perspective on it, considering how much time 5 Seconds of Summer spent with One Direction over the past two years.

During a recent interview with MTV, the guys — who were decked out in white bathrobes for a reason unbeknownst to us — were asked to divulge their feelings on the situation. Ashton acted as the mouthpiece for the band and said, "I heard about that and I was at rehearsal and I was looking at these dudes and, man, I’d be devastated if someone left our band, you know? I can’t imagine how the other dudes feel. And I wish him all the best. I hope... if that’s a choice he wanted to make, you know? I hope everything goes well."

When asked if the four of them had any advice for the four remaining members of One Direction, Ashton was quick to respond, saying, "We have no advice for them! They've been doing it longer than us, so they've got it worked out."

Zayn, who cited wanting to be a "normal 22-year-old" as one reason for leaving the hugely successful group, was spotted heading into a recording studio with producer Naughty Boy. So much for laying low.

The guys in One Direction, meanwhile, performed their first show as an official foursome on Saturday (March 28) in Johannesburg.

See Photo of One Direction Through the Years

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