Outside the Commercial Radio headquarters on Broadcast Drive, a dozen groupies craned their necks to catch a glimpse of Leo, while protecting themselves from his wrath. Not that their idol, Cantopop heartthrob Leo Ku Kui-kei, was heaping abuse on them - it was the downpour of Typhoon Leo that these fans braved.
But the coincidence was lost on Ku who, when he finally emerged from the building to pose for pictures, looked tired. Dark rings ran round his usually gleaming eyes, and the expression he wore was one of blankness, making him a mere shadow of his usual bubbly self.
As he braved both the piercing gusts and the rush of his fans, Ku remained soft-spoken and friendly; all he could muster in reply, however, was a wave now and again, and a little small talk to girls he knew by name.
Minutes later, Ku was slouched on a couch back in the building. Spirits sagging, his eyes were drawn to a hollow stare as if anticipating the gruelling schedule ahead. The grind for the day had barely begun: he was to start, with thousands of young people, a 30-hour fast for charity, and during that spell he was to participate in an energy-consuming variety show.
However, he said he had no regrets about making himself available for these charity events, when instead he could have been pushing the sales of his latest record in Taiwan.
'As a singer my job may be to produce music, but I don't think this is the only thing I should get involved all my life. If I can do something that has relevance to the world, life is more fulfilling,' Ku said.