One Direction made it very clear that they are not splitting up, but are taking a "well earned break" this week.

The news shocked some fans, leaving Directioners "gutted," while others fully supported their latest move -- considering the band has been non-stop since competing on the "X Factor" five years ago.

However, this wasn't a decision that they just decided recently -- according to their long-time producer/songwriter Julian Bunetta ("Drag Me Down," "Steal My Girl," "Night Changes") the foursome had every intention of going on hiatus while recording their upcoming fifth album.

“There was a feeling of, ‘Well, we’re going to take a break, and anything in the world can happen during that time off,’” Bunetta told Billboard. “It’s the first time of there being some uncertainty, of not having things planned out beforehand, since they were 16 years old. There was definitely a vibe of making [the album] the best it can possibly be, and knowing it has to last as long as it needs to until we make another record -- if we make another record.”

Since their debut, the band have released a new album and have gone on tour every single year. The group suffered a huge loss when Zayn Malik departed the band in March, which will be addressed on their untitled fifth album.

“There’s a song about losing someone that isn’t Zayn,” he said. “There’s also a song about the band being on shaky ground and not knowing what the future is. There are songs about love, there’s a song that is a little more sexually charged. It’s all over the map.”

As were their emotions while recording this album knowing that this could be their last together for awhile; however Julian says it's "definitely one of the most fun album-making processes" he's ever experienced.

“There was a lot of them [mixed emotions] not knowing if they were going to take a break or not, because that wasn’t decided just yesterday,” he explained. “There was definitely some of that going on, [but] it wasn’t like every day was depressing in the studio. We were having so much fun when we were making this record -- going out, having parties, really enjoying ourselves and not taking any day for granted that we got to spend with each other. When you’re faced with some uncertainty, you appreciate the moment more. The moment that you’re in becomes really special and sacred."